The Tampa Bay Lightning faced the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens in back-to-back games. In Toronto, Victor Hedman scored first for the Lightning, but the Leafs tied the game 1-1. The Lightning eventually won 4-1, with Nikita Kucherov leading with two assists. In Montreal, the Lightning defeated the Canadiens 7-4, with Nick Paul scoring two goals. Kucherov and Steven Stamkos had three-point nights, and Matt Tomkins secured his second NHL win.
Nikita Kucherov recorded his League-leading 21st three-point outing of the season and hit the 90-assist mark in the process. #NHLStats: https://t.co/6cMwxBgBGf https://t.co/zs6UTO0UJV
#Bolts keep things rolling with a 7-4 win over the Habs. Three-point nights from Kucherov and Stamkos. Tomkins gets his second career NHL win, both in Montreal. Road trip wraps up Saturday afternoon in Pittsburgh.
The Tampa Bay Lightning are 10-1-1 in their last 12 games β‘οΈ Theyβre currently +2200 to win the Stanley Cup @SIASport π https://t.co/iLW3VUcZ1h
Final from Montreal, #GoBolts pick up a 7-4 victory, three-point nights from Stamkos and Kucherov, two goals from Nick Paul and a solid 27-save performance for Matt Tomkins who picks up his second career victory. #TBLightning magic number to 2 as they head to Pitt for Sat matinee
#GoBolts survive Montrealβs third-period push, win 7-4. They are 10β1-1 in their last 12 games.
Bruins stay four points ahead of the Panthers ahead of Saturday's matchup. The Lightning move within two points of the Leafs for third in the Atlantic. Toronto has a game in hand, but the Bolts will likely hold the regulation wins tiebreaker. They'll meet once more in Game 82.
Stamkos empty-net goal with 53.6 seconds remaining makes it 7-4. Kucherov gets his 90th helper of the year.
Stamkos empty-net goal with 53.6 seconds remaining makes it 7-4. Kucherov gets his 90th helpers of the year.
Stamkos empty netter makes it 7-4.
Kucherov chips it out to Stamkos, 7-4 empty net goal
#Bolts make it out of that penalty kill. Final TV timeout comes with 5:02 to go and TB still leading 6-4.
A lot going on at the Bell Centre as Eyssimont drops the gloves with Xhekaj. Habs are getting a power play here and Hagel just went back to the #Bolts locker room as he looks a little shaken up. About six minutes to go in the third. Crowd alive in Montreal.
Hagel and Stamkos collide and, then, chaos breaks out on the ice β¦ Hagel is slow to get to his feet and, eventually, he walks towards the #Bolts locker room
Hagel took some friendly fire and is down, Stamkos came through and hit Hagel pretty hard, Eyssimont tried to gain some retribution and gets the extra penalty on a double minor for roughing, so Montreal will have a power play out of this
Caufield scores and its a two-goal game with just over 8 minutes left. 6-4 #GoBolts
Cole Caufield scores his 22nd goal of the season and his second in two games on beautiful setup by Nick Suzuki. Lightning 6, #Habs 4 with 8:09 left in third period. This Habs team doesn't give up. #HabsIO
6-3 Tampa Bay Lightning
#Bolts back to the PK with 15:58 left in the third as Cernak gets two for tripping.
Four-goal second period sends the #Bolts to the locker room with a 6-2 lead over the Habs. Shots are 28-14 Tampa Bay.
Puck comes out to Point from puck battle in the corner, Point feeds Kucherov at right circle and he unloads a slap shot to make it 6-2. Kucherov's 43rd goal of the season and his 132nd point of the season.
Tampa Bay is humming as Point finds Kucherov and he hammers a one-timer past Primeau. #Bolts up 6-2 with 2:15 left in the second.
Kucherov was in alone, but Matheson called for tripping as he swiped the stick across and took the skates out, #GoBolts to the power play
#Bolts back to the power play with 3:02 left in the second as Matheson goes back to the box for tripping.
#Bolts going to the kill now with 6:21 left in the second as Watson gets two for slashing.
Hagel with the goal, it is his 70th point of the season 5-2 Tampa Bay Lightning
#Bolts to the power play with 8:48 left in the second as Matheson gets two for tripping.
Paul again. Snapping some hard wristers the past two nights. His third goal in past two games gives #GoBolts a 4-2 lead.
Nick Paul stays hot and nets his second of the night to make it 4-2 #Bolts with 10:48 left in the second. Finds the top right corner with a shot from the high slot after Eyssimont forced a turnover in the O-zone.
Paul nets his second goal of the game, his 22nd goal of the season 4-2 Tampa Bay Lightning
Harvey-Pinard serves one up to Paul, 4-2 Lightning.
Beautiful passing play by the #Bolts as de Haan finds Cirelli across the zone and he sends a pass across the royal road to Stamkos, who hammers a one-timer past Primeau and makes it 3-2 with 12:02 left in the second. Stamkos has goals in four straight.
Steven Stamkos puts Lightning up 3-2 on #Habs. Goal No. 33 for Stamkos, who came into the game with a team-worst minus-22. #HabsIO
Stamkos makes it 3-2 Lightning after Xhekaj decides to close out Hagel, who's got nothing to do with the play, and leaves him open in front.
End of the first period in Montreal, #GoBolts up 2-1, unofficial shots on goal are 8-8
After 20 minutes, #Bolts lead the Canadiens 2-1 on goals from Paul and Eyssimont. Shots were eight apiece.
Eyssimont scores to give the #Bolts the lead in this first period 2-1 Tampa Bay Lightning
#GoBolts kill off the de Haan penalty.
Kucherov has the secondary assist on the Paul goal, so he's up to 89 assists on the season. #GoBolts
Nick Paul scores a power play goal with 10:15 on the clock in this first period 1-1
Point had initial shot in front, and Paul jumped on the rebound and put it in. #gobolts
Nick Paul jumps on a rebound in front and scores his 21st goal of the season on the power play to make it 1-1 with 10:15 left in the first. Assists should go to Kucherov and Point.
Paul scores on the power play. 1-1 with 10:15 left in the first. #gobolts
Nick Paul ties the game on the Lightning PP.
#GoBolts come out of it with a power play.
Pretty good battle in front of the Montreal net between Stamkos and Newhook. Struble and Cirelli going at it as well after the whistle. Looks like all four guys will go to the box, but the #Bolts are getting the power play with 11:27 left in the first.
Newhook and Stamkos are mixing it up in front of the Montreal net, reinforcements arrive, helmets get ripped off . . . it all leads to matching penalties assessed to Stamkos/Cirelli for #GoBolts Newhook/Struble for Montreal (somebody got a double minor so #TBLightning on PP)
Stamkos and Newhook start pushing and shoving in front of the Canadiens net and, then, everyone jumps into it β¦ Cirelli is not happy after he was ambushed by two players
Stamkos and Struble scrapping in front of the Montreal net draws a bigger crowd. Both players heading to the box. #gobolts https://t.co/WPji41h5qq
Jordan Binnington and Juuse Saros lead the #stlblues and #preds out for the pregame warmup
Ovi and the Capitals are taking on Crosby and the Penguins! π Catch all the action on Sportsnet, or stream on Sportsnet+! πΊ https://t.co/VqL16Ig675
We are underway here in Montreal. #gobolts #gohabsgo https://t.co/JqU45tNv6c
Matt Tomkins leads the #Bolts onto the ice and pregame warm-ups are underway here at Bell Centre.
Matt Tomkins leads the #GoBolts onto the ice in Montreal, where he earned his first #NHL win in November in his last #TBLightning start. https://t.co/mZlnkgVvef
Bobrovsky (FLA) and Korpisalo (OTT) lead 'em out!
Jon Cooper confirms Matt Tomkins will be in net tonight for the #Bolts β¦ he won his first NHL game here in his third NHL start back in November
π Montreal #gobolts #gohabsgo #TBLvsMON https://t.co/KowUcljKKn
Jordan Binnington first off the ice, starter tonight vs. #predsβ―β―β― #stlblues
Will Nikita Kucherov reach 9οΈβ£0οΈβ£ assists tonight...? (via @PR_NHL) https://t.co/3Mi648sJKX
Crucial points will be on the line as Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin go head-to-head on @Sportsnet programming, while the Western Conference Wild Card race takes the spotlight when the @StLouisBlues and @PredsNHL clash on @ESPNPlus and @hulu. #NHLStats: https://t.co/x1tL8PwD67 https://t.co/9oczu96PRU
#GoBolts are 9-1-1 in their last 11 games after 4-1 win in Toronto.
Final from Toronto, #GoBolts knock off Toronto 4-1, impressive third period to close this one out, head to Montreal tomorrow
FINAL: 4-1 Tampa Bay Lightning
Nick Paul loves scoring on his hometown team. π₯² (π₯: @TBLightning) https://t.co/aF7WP5N6TQ
Paul puts the puck in the net with 5:41 remaining in regulation and you know he has family in the building tonight β¦ what a sweet goal 4-1 Tampa Bay Lightning
Nick Paul with an absolute bullet into the top left corner. Beautiful shot. #Bolts lead 4-1 with 5:40 left in the third.
Nick Paul gives Tampa a 4-1 lead
We are underway here in Toronto for the start of the third with #GoBolts up 3-1.
Got about 10 minutes until the #Bolts and Leafs take the ice for the third period. TB still leads 3-1. Shots are 25-14 Toronto.
End of two periods in Toronto, #GoBolts up 3-1, unofficial shots on goal are 25-13 for Toronto
Nikita Kucherov (0-2β2) factored on two @TBLightning goals to take a two-point lead in the Art Ross Trophy race (42-87β129 in 74 GP). Catch the action on @Sportsnet and @TVASports. #NHLStats: https://t.co/98PAGiKUGX https://t.co/XG687EJ9ZW
Stamkos keeps on a 2-on-1. 3-1 Tampa at 8:48 of the second. #Leafs
Stamkos makes it 3-1 with 11:12 left in the second.
Hagel is back. #GoBolts
Hagel is back on the bench https://t.co/ZzED7FE2hE
Hagel's back on the #Bolts bench. May have just been a stinger he needed to walk off.
Hagel hobbles down the bench and back to the locker room
Hagel is limping off of the bench toward the locker room β¦
Brandon Hagel hobbled and down the tunnel. #gobolts
Brayden Point makes it 2-1 https://t.co/8xh9EGBtRE
Point in front on a lovely pass from Kucherov down low. #Gobolts up 2-1 at the 2:54 mark in the first.
Kucherov sets up Point, who showcases some fantastic hands and makes it 2-1 with 17:06 left in the second. Kucherov has officially set a new franchise record for points in a single season with 129.
Hagel returns to the penalty box for tripping 23 seconds into this second period β¦ it is the third power play for the Leafs in this game
Second period underway. #Bolts going right to the PK as Hagel gets two for tripping 23 seconds in.
End of the first period in Toronto, #GoBolts tied up 1-1, unofficial shots on goal are 10-4 for the Leafs after a bit of a late flurry
After one period, #GoBolts and #LeafsForever tied 1-1. Leafs lead in shots on goal 11-4.
Now Glendening is going to the box for interference on Rielly. #GoBolts on the PK with 63 seconds left in the 1st.
Now the #Bolts will go to the PK as Glendening gets two for interference with 1:03 left in the first.
#Go Bolts head back to the power play at 16:25 as Fleury is slewfooted by McMann
McMann to the box for tripping Fleury behind the #GoBolts net. #TBLightning back on the power play.
Victor Hedman gives the @TBLightning the lead with a shot that had eyes! π πΊ: @Sportsnet or stream on Sportsnet+ β‘οΈ https://t.co/sEijvXhbA1 https://t.co/d9wKzEPe41
Brodie to the box for slashing. #GoBolts on the power play for the first time tonight with 8:34 left in the first.
#GoBolts head to the power play now as Brodie called for slashing at 11:26
Big stop by Vasilevskiy on Matthews and Brodie gets two for slashing shortly after. #Bolts to the PP with 8:34 left in the first.
Hedman opens the scoring in Toronto! π― https://t.co/C1rrcFZWD9
Nice hustle by Hagel to draw a tripping penalty, but before TOR can touch it up, Hedman rips a perfect shot into the top corner and makes it 1-0 #Bolts with 9:57 left in the first. Hagel's 200th career point and Kucherov ties his franchise point record with the primary assist.
Hedman scores on the #Bolts first shot of the game 1-0 Tampa Bay Lightning
First shot on goal is a goal by Victor Hedman from the high slot. #GoBolts up 1-0 with 9:57 left in the first period.
Hedman, 1-0 TB on a delayed #Leafs penalty.
Hagel trips Nylander at 4:23. Rielly back on the point on #Leafs PP.
Hagel heading to the box for tripping Nylander crossing over the blue line and into the #GoBolts end. Lightning on the PK 4:23 into the game.
The Maple Leafs and Lightning are underway in Toronto! π Catch all the action on Sportsnet, or stream on Sportsnet+! πΊ https://t.co/IuxYgyPuq9
We are underway here in Toronto for #GoBolts and #LeafsForever.
As expected, Matt Tomkins is dressed as the backup goaltender tonight. No Jonas Johansson. Tomkins, added Tuesday as an emergency recall, is expected to start tomorrow on back end of back to back in Montreal. More here in this @TB_Times story: https://t.co/AngB0ofq43
Andrei Vasilevskiy leads the #GoBolts onto the ice for pregame warmups in Toronto. https://t.co/FsQ8DAtgnt
Matt Tomkinsβ journeyman path takes him to the #NHL again, where he will likely start in net Thursday for the #GoBolts against #GoHabsGo in Montreal. @TB_Times story: https://t.co/AngB0ofq43
Andrei Vasilevskiy is the first goalie off the ice at #Bolts morning skate. Expect him between the pipes tonight in Toronto.
The #Bolts are starting to trickle onto the ice for morning skate here in Toronto. Matt Tomkins is here after being recalled from Syracuse yesterday. https://t.co/t03WwMYt0z
Nikita Kucherov is in the midst of an incredible season and has a favorable matchup tonight against a team he's had great success against. With him in the Art Ross race, @mickey_canuck's NHL picks expect a big game from Kucherov. https://t.co/tFsO0FiyzR