In Columbus, the Tampa Bay Lighting’s Nikita Kucherov struck for his second goal of the game in overtime to give the Bolts a 2-1 win over the Blue Jackets on Monday night.
“We got two points and we’re happy with that,” Kucherov said. “What happened in the past stays there and we’re trying not to think about it. But I guess those guys are trying to say something about last year on the ice, but who cares?”
Nikita Kucherov’s OT goal won it for the Lightning in Columbus – file photo by Lewis Bleiman
Curtis McElhinney made 31 saves in the win.
“It felt like a playoff game a little bit,” Columbus’ David Savard said. “Those types of games are fun to be a part of.”
Oliver Bjorkstrand had the lone Columbus goal.
“We had to regroup, hold onto the puck a little more and make smarter plays,” Bjorkstrand said. “I thought we did a good job of that in the second and third periods.”
[WATCH: All Lightning vs. Blue Jackets highlights]
Elvis Merzlikins made 28 saves in the loss.
“The thing that frustrates me is I want us to have a chance to win the overtime,” Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella said. “And if they’re going to beat us, I want them to beat us, not us beat ourselves. That’s what’s frustrating to me. I want to see it play out; let it play out, not have it end that way.”
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