Matthew Tkachuk scored twice, including an empty-net goal to ice the game, as the visiting Florida Panthers beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-3 Thursday to take a commanding 3-0 lead in their best-of-seven Eastern Conference playoff series.

Sebastian Aho scored the game-winning goal in the second period and Frederik Andersen stood tall in net for the visiting Carolina Hurricanes, who beat the New York Islanders 3-2 Thursday night in Elmont, N.Y., to take a 3-0 lead in their Eastern Conference first-round series.