Point’s OT goal lifts Lightning past Red Wings 2-1
Mar 26, 2022, 12:50 AM | Updated: 1:48 pm
Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Brian Elliott (1) and Brayden Point celebrate after beating the Detroit Red Wings 2-1 in overtime during an NHL hockey game Saturday, March 26, 2022, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
(AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
DETROIT (AP) — Brayden Point scored a power-play goal at 2:28 of overtime and the Tampa Bay Lightning snapped a three-game losing streak with a 2-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday.
Point scored on a rebound of Steven Stamkos’ shot. Stamkos scored a third-period, power-play goal for the Lightning, while Anthony Cirelli assisted on both goals.
“It just feels good to get back in the win column,” Point said. “Obviously, it’s been a tough stretch for us, a lot of road games, a lot of grinding. But it feels good to get two points.”
Brian Elliott, who was making his first start since March 12 and just his fifth since Dec. 31, stopped 26 shots.
“We need every (win) down the stretch,” Elliott said. “The way things have been going, we haven’t been getting bounces, as you kind of saw throughout most of the game. I thought we did a really good job of just sticking to it and not getting frustrated. I thought our body language was better.”
Oskar Sundqvist scored the Red Wings goal and Alex Nedeljkovic made 34 saves. Sundqvist’s goal was his second in three games since he was acquired in a trade with St. Louis on Monday.
“I don’t think measuring sticks mean anything at this point in the season,” Nedeljkovic said. “That’s a game we should have won, and it doesn’t matter if it was against Tampa Bay or the last-place team in the league.”
The Lightning killed off two penalties in the first period. Elliott stopped Lucas Raymond with a glove save on the second of those Detroit power plays.
Each team killed off a penalty in the second period. Tampa Bay committed two more minor infractions in the first three minutes of the third, but the Wings still couldn’t get the puck past Elliott.
The scoreless tie was finally broken at 8:41 of the third period. Pius Suter dropped a pass to Sundqvist, whose shot trickled through Elliott’s pads. Adam Erne earned the second assist.
Tampa Bay tied it with 4:38 remaining in regulation. Stamkos scored his 29th goal from the side of the net off a pass from Point.
“I think we defended pretty well against a high-octane team, but we didn’t create enough chances and we lost the specialty-teams battle,” Detroit coach Jeff Blashill said.
The Lightning gave up two third-period goals in a 3-2 loss to Boston on Thursday.
“When we coughed up the lead in Boston with five minutes left, the guys were dejected,” Lightning coach John Cooper said. “Today was different. We talked about that and said ‘We don’t know who’s going to score first but if it’s not us, let’s make sure we’re engaged.’ I actually thought we played our best hockey once they scored.”
NOTES
Tampa Bay has scored two or fewer goals in seven of its past eight games. … Tampa Bay D Ryan McDonagh missed the game with an upper-body injury. … Tampa Bay is 10-6 in overtime, while Detroit dropped to 11-8.
UP NEXT
Lightning Visit New York Islanders on Sunday.
Red Wings: Visit Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday.
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