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TAMPA, Florida (Ticker) -- The Tampa Bay Lightning got special performances from Nikolai Khabibulin and Vincent Lecavalier and stellar special teams play to get back in the Stanley Cup Finals.

Khabibulin came within 7:39 of his fifth playoff shutout and Lecavalier had a pair of assists while throwing his body all over the ice as the Lightning evened the best-of-seven series at one win apiece with a 4-1 victory over the Calgary Flames .

Brad Richards and Martin St. Louis each had a goal and an assist and Dave Andreychuk chipped in two assists for Tampa Bay.

Coming off Tuesday's 4-1 loss, Lightning coach John Tortorella expected Khabibulin to be the best player. He was one of the best, stopping 18 shots and helping Tampa Bay kill four first-period power plays.

"I thought we did a pretty good job through most of the night with the penalties, and early on especially not allowing them to get that first goal," Tortorella said.

Khabibulin improved to 5-0 with a 1.00 goals-against average following losses in this year's playoffs.

"I didn't have to do much," he said. "Guys in front of me did a lot of work for me. They blocked a lot of shots and cleared the rebounds."

Lecavalier set a physical tone early with a hit on defenseman Andrew Ference , then made a spectacular play to set up the Lightning's first goal.

Just over seven minutes into the first period, Lecavalier banked the puck off the back of the net to get away from a defender then threw a pass to the point. Defenseman Jassen Cullimore 's blast was stopped by Miikka Kiprusoff , but Ruslan Fedotenko backhanded his own rebound past the goaltender for his 10th playoff goal.

"I just want to get a shot on net after I got away from the defenseman," Lecavalier said. "I lost the puck, passed it to Cully, who made a great shot on net. Then Feds ... just tapped it in."

It was just the fifth first-period goal allowed by the Flames in the postseason and the first in 10 games.

Calgary managed two harmless shots on its four power plays in the opening period and trailed heading to the second period for the first time since Game Four of the Western Conference semifinals against Detroit.

"Special teams are big in the playoffs and an early goal on the power play gives you a boost. But we didn't generate anything," Flames center Stephane Yelle said.

Kiprusoff stopped Richards on a shorthanded breakaway early in the second and the Flames were gaining momentum until Lecavalier leveled 232-pound Chris Simon with a clean hit along the boards midway through the period.

"I thought he showed a physical presence," Tortorella said. "The moves, that's talent, but the presence he showed tonight I thought was very important for our club."

Kiprusoff stopped Lecavalier from the top of the crease late in the second, but Tampa Bay broke open the game with three goals in a 3:07 span of the third.

Richards picked up a loose puck off a blocked shot and flipped it by Kiprusoff at 2:51, just 69 seconds before defenseman Dan Boyle scored on the Lightning's next shot to make it 3-0. The goal came two nights after Boyle's house was partially destroyed by an electrical fire.

"Obviously, it's been a rough couple of days, sleeping hasn't been good," Boyle said. "I knew the team and myself had to come up with a big game. I am just glad I could help out tonight."

St. Louis got his second goal in as many games during a two-man advantage at 5:58, redirecting a pass from Lecavalier.

Ville Nieminen spoiled Khabibulin's shutout bid with 7:39 left in regulation.

"We got outworked, we got outmuscled, we got outplayed, we got whatever out, we got all kinds of out. And now we are out of Tampa," Nieminen said.

Calgary hosts Game Three on Saturday and Game Four on Monday.

With the outcome no longer in doubt, the teams combined for 84 penalty minutes in the final 11 1/2 minutes.

"Obviously, we weren't happy with the way the game was going," Flames captain Jarome Iginla said. "Emotions get going when you look at the scoreboard and you're losing in the Stanley Cup Finals. And that's what happens."