Tavares scored a power-play goal and added an assist in Tuesday's 4-3 Game 5 win over the Lightning.
Tavares got the monkey off his back with his first goal of the series early in the second period, cutting Tampa Bay's 2-0 lead in half. His third assist of the postseason helped Morgan Rielly tie it up early in the third. Toronto's leaders stepped up in this one, as the Maple Leafs got goals from Tavares, Rielly, William Nylander and Auston Matthews to take a 3-2 series lead.