In Tampa, the Lightning’s Brayden Point hit for the game winner on Saturday in overtime to defeat the Florida Panthers, 3-2.
Andrei Vasilevskiy made 21 saves for the Bolts win.
The Panthers trialed 0-2 in the game and rallied with two goals in the middle frame to tie it, 2-2.
“I thought we just competed hard and I think that turned the tide,” Panthers head coach Andrew Brunette said. “I thought per man we started winning our little individual battles and that got us back in the hockey game. Earlier in the year we were winning games that were like this. This is the ebbs and flows of the regular season. We hope we realize it’s a hard, hard league and there’s going to be a lot of nights like tonight.”
The game went to the extra session after a scoreless third period.
“We’re managing the puck a lot better,” Point said. “Not as many turnovers. Not as many odd-man rushes against. And then just competing.”
Jonathan Huberdeau and Eetu Luostarinen hot for Florida’s goals; the two strikes were separated by 36 seconds.
“I feel this game was our best game in a while,” Luostarinen said. “We just have to keep playing that way and we’ll eventually get the two points.”
Florida dropped to 10-2-3.
The Panthers went, 0-2-2 on a four-game roadie.
“They’re a good team,” the Panthers’ Aleksander Barkov said. “They’re a really good test for us for sure. We’ve got a good rivalry going on. Both teams want to win really bad. It’s a lot of fun to play these type of games.”
Pat Maroon and Victor Hedman were the Lightning scorers in regulation.
Tampa improved to 7-3-3.
Sergei Bobrovsky made 26 saves in the Florida loss.
You must be logged in to post a comment.