Columbus, OH (SportsNetwork.com) – The Tampa Bay Lightning used a great start
and six different goal scorers to extend their winning streak with a 7-4
victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets.
The Lightning have recorded 27 goals on their five-game run and saw 15 players
record at least one point on Saturday.
Tyler Johnson scored two goals, Ryan Callahan posted a goal and two assists,
and Evgeni Nabokov made 28 saves to pick up his second win of the season.
Scott Hartnell scored two goals for the second straight night for the Blue
Jackets, who are 0-7-1 over their last eight games — their worst stretch
since starting the 2011-12 season with the same record.
Anton Forsberg was overmatched in his second career start and was pulled after
giving up four goals on 15 shots in the opening period. Curtis McElhinney
stopped 20-of-22 shots in relief.
Ryan Johansen and Nick Foligno both scored in the first 5:10 of the third
period to pull Columbus within 6-4, but the 4-0 hole the Blue Jackets dug
themselves in the first period was too much to overcome.
J.T. Brown chipped in his own rebound just 5:46 into the game, and Cedric
Paquette, who scored his first two NHL goals in Thursday’s win over the
Flames, went top shelf 21 seconds later.
Anton Stralman knocked in a rebound while on the power play at the 12:31 mark,
and Brian Boyle capped the early onslaught 2:10 later with his fifth goal of
the season.
Hartnell’s power-play goals in the second stanza were each answered by Tampa
Bay within two minutes. After his deflection trickled past Nabokov, Callahan
restored the four-goal cushion at the 5:38 mark.
Johnson answered another Hartnell goal with a power-play marker of his own,
then scored on an empty net in the final minute of regulation.
Game Notes
This was Tampa Bay’s first win in Columbus since Dec. 17, 2011 … Brown
scored his first goal since Dec. 23 last year … Lightning forward Nikita
Kucherov was unsuccessful on a penalty shot late in the first period …
Columbus defenseman James Wisniewski was credited with three assists …
Nabokov improved to 21-5-3 in his career against Columbus … The Lightning
will play in Detroit on Sunday … Columbus has two days off before a road
game against the Capitals.
