– AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds

The New Jersey Devils proved in Game 3 of their first-round playoff series with the heavily favored Tampa Bay Lightning that they are not a team simply content with reaching the postseason.

After climbing back into this best-of-seven Monday with a gritty 5-2 victory over the Lightning DeMario Davis Jersey , the Devils are talking tough, even though they still trail the series 2-1.

“We showed it’s going to be a series,” said Devils forward Blake Coleman. “It’s going to be a dogfight.”

Such sets the stage for what should be an intriguing Game 4 at the Prudential Center on Wednesday night.

The Lightning won the first two games of this series in Tampa, 5-2 and 5-3, and twice led Game 3 by the scores of 1-0 and 2-1 early in the third period. However, the Devils unloaded 20 shots in the final period, took advantage of an uncharacteristically undisciplined Lightning squad, and scored four times — twice into an empty net — to secure the organization’s first playoff victory in six years.

“We did it to ourselves,” said Lightning coach Jon Cooper.

That feeling is the prevailing sentiment around the Lightning heading into Game 4. Lightning players and coaches firmly believe that, as the Eastern Conference’s top seed and far more experienced team in the series, what happens on the ice is largely on them, not the Devils.

“It’s not one game, it’s a series,” said Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman, who logged more than 28 minutes in the Game 3 defeat. “We’re still on top and got to refocus and regroup to get ready for the next one.”

Special teams have been a big part of this series, so far. The Lightning handed the Devils seven power plays Monday Chris Hogan Jersey , and the Devils tied the game in the third period on a Will Butcher 5-on-3 power play goal. On the flip side, the Lightning also scored two more power play goals, giving them five in nine opportunities in the series.

“They have such a lethal power play that if you give them one, two, three, four, five opportunities a night, they’re going to make you pay,” said Devils alternate captain Taylor Hall. “On the other side, our power play didn’t really come through when we wanted it to — though we got the one on the 5-on-3 that got us back in the game — but we have to regroup and figure out what we have to do against their penalty kill.”

Hall, coming off a Hart Trophy-worthy regular season, turned in a brilliant performance Monday and has five points in the first three games of the series. He tied the game with his second goal of the series in the second period, then assisted on Butcher’s game-tying tally and made a gorgeous rush up ice before setting up Stefan Noesen’s eventual game-winner at 12:55 of the third period.

“He’s so consistent, does it every night,” teammate Marcus Johansson said of Hall, who had a career-high 93 points in 2017-18. “He scores big goals Lee Roy Selmon Jersey , creates a lot of offense for him and his linemates. I’m really impressed with the way he’s been playing all year.”

After shaky goaltending from Keith Kinkaid in the first two games of the series, the Devils switched to Cory Schneider in Game 3 and he stopped 34 of 36 shots, making a stunning save on a Ryan McDonagh breakaway with the score tied in the third period.

“Me and (Brian Boyle) looked at each other halfway through the game and said this is the Cory we know,” shared Coleman, who scored one of two empty-net goals for New Jersey near the end of the game.

Despite the rousing finish and gutty effort by the home team, the Lightning are still up a game and in the driver’s seat heading into Game 4. A win Thursday and they head back to Florida one victory away from advancing to the second round.

Considering they did not trail for a single second over the first 172 minutes, 55 seconds of the series, the Lightning have plenty of reason to be confident ahead of Wednesday’s much-anticipated clash.

“We still feel like we’re in a good spot in the series,” said McDonagh. “If we keep ourselves within our system and playing the right way, we feel we’ve got a good chance.”

The Lightning could be without two of their top forwards on Wednesday, however. Ryan Callahan, who missed Game 3 with an upper-body injury, did not practice Tuesday and neither did Tyler Johnson, who scored goals in each of the first two games down in Tampa, but needed a maintenance day Tuesday for unspecified reasons.

The Latest on NBA free agency (all times EDT):

10:45 p.m.

Lance Stephenson is joining LeBron James in Los Angeles.

Stephenson agreed to a deal with the Lakers on Sunday night, his agency Elandon Roberts Jersey , Priority Sports, announced on Twitter . That came just hours after James decided he would join the Lakers.

The two have traded testy moments in the playoffs when Stephenson’s Indiana teams faced James’ squads in both Miami and Cleveland.

Stephenson averaged 9.2 points last season.

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10:25 p.m.

Glenn Robinson III has agreed to a deal with the Detroit Pistons.

A person with knowledge of the agreement says Robinson has agreed to a one-year contract with a team option for 2019-20. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the contract has not yet been signed.

Robinson returns to the area where he played college basketball. He was on the Michigan team that went to the Final Four in 2013.

Robinson averaged 4.1 points and 14.7 minutes a game last season for Indiana.

– Noah Trister in Detroit

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10:05 p.m.

Aaron Gordon is staying in Orlando for big money.

A person with knowledge of the negotiations says Gordon agreed Sunday night to a four-year, $82 million deal to remain with the Magic. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the contract has not yet been signed.

Gordon is going into his fifth season. He averaged a career-best 17.6 points per game last year for Orlando, but was limited to 58 games.

– AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds

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9:50 p.m.

Mario Hezonja is leaving Orlando to play for David Fizdale and the New York Knicks.

The No. 5 pick in the 2015 draft tweeted a picture of himself in a Knicks sweatshirt, writing that he was ”very excited to be joining the Knicks and play for coach Fizdale!”

Hezonja averaged 9.6 points last season, easily the best of his three-year career. ESPN reported the Croatian native had agreed to a one-year deal worth $6.5 million.

The Knicks had said they didn’t plan to be active in free agency, hoping to save their cap space for 2019.

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8:25 p.m.

LeBron James is signing with the Los Angeles Lakers, leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers for the second time to join one of the NBA’s most iconic franchises.

James’ agency made the announcement in a release, saying he has agreed to a four-year, $154 million contract. The game’s best all-around player and biggest star will now lead a young Lakers team that has been overmatched in recent years while rebuilding but will instantly rise with James.

Los Angeles also provides James with a larger platform for his business interests and social activism.

This is the third time in eight years James has changed teams. He returned to the Cavs in 2014 after four seasons in Miami.

The 33-year-old had previously said he wanted to finish his career in Ohio, and although he’s leaving home again, Cleveland fans are more forgiving after he ended the city’s 52-year sports championship drought in 2016.

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1:20 p.m.

Derrick Jones Jr. has signed a minimum deal with the Miami Heat, after playing with them on a two-way contract last season.

The 6-foot-7 wing played in 14 games with Miami last season, starting eight. His NBA career remains best known for his appearance as a member of the Phoenix Suns in the 2017 dunk contest at All-Star weekend, an invite that came even though he had spent the bulk of his time that season in the G League.

He could help the Heat in at least two ways – one being depth, the other being affordability. Miami does not have much in the way of financial flexibility this summer Kyle Lauletta Jersey , with the luxury tax threshold looming and the Heat trying to keep Wayne Ellington.

Jones is playing in Summer League for the Heat, starting Monday in Sacramento.

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12:05 p.m.

The Philadelphia 76ers are getting to make their pitch to LeBron James.

Representatives from the team will meet in Los Angeles with James’ agent Rich Paul on Sunday, a person familiar with the talks told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the talks. James will not take part in the meeting, the person said.

The Sixers -and their fans- have made no secret of their desire to land James, who would instantly make them NBA title contenders. Philadelphia has young stars in Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid to entice James, who was flattered earlier this year when a company erected billboards in Ohio urging him to join the Sixers.

The meeting was first reported by ESPN.

— Tom Withers in Cleveland.

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11:10 a.m.

The Toronto Raptors aren’t letting guard Fred VanVleet get away.

A person with knowledge of the contract says the club has reached an agreement with VanVleet on a two-year, $18 million deal. The person spoke with The Associated Press Sunday on condition of anonymity because the deal can’t be finalized until Friday.

In his second season with Toronto, VanVleet, a restricted free agent, averaged 8.6 points and was a valuable backup to Kyle Lowry. VanVleet bounced between the D-League and Raptors in his 2016-17 rookie season, but the former Wichita State improved his game and has been rewarded.

– AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds

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9:50 a.m.

Aron Baynes, who started virtually every game last season with Boston, is staying with the Celtics.

A person familiar with the negotiations says Baynes has agreed to a two-year deal worth $11 million. The person Indianapolis Colts Customized Jerseys