Darren Raddysh netted the game-winner 1:52 into overtime, lifting the Tampa Bay Lightning to a 4-3 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Thursday night.
Key Moment: Overtime Winner
Raddysh scored from the left circle, assisted by NHL scoring leader Nikita Kucherov, who now has 69 points this season. “Just get open,” Raddysh said. “He’s going to find you, eventually.”
Lightning’s Standout Performances
Luke Glendening contributed two goals, and Brayden Point added another for Tampa Bay. Goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy made 27 saves. This win positions the Lightning three points behind third-place Toronto in the Atlantic Division, though the Maple Leafs have four games in hand.
On Tuesday, the Lightning had previously rallied from a two-goal deficit to beat the Los Angeles Kings in overtime. “We have zero wiggle room,” said coach Jon Cooper, who tied Pat Burns for 27th place in NHL history with his 501st win.
Devils’ Efforts and Near Misses
New Jersey saw goals from Dawson Mercer, Jesper Bratt, and Nathan Bastian, with Vitek Vanecek stopping 16 shots. “I think we played a pretty solid game all the way through,” Bratt said. “It (stinks) not to get those two points.”
Bastian ended a 22-game goal drought, tying the game at 3 early in the third on a breakaway. Michael McLeod’s potential go-ahead goal was overturned due to an offside ruling upon replay review. “We did many good things,” said Devils coach Lindy Ruff. “A tough break. I think they made the right call.”
Game Dynamics
Mercer gave the Devils an early lead, banking a shot off Vasilevskiy 7:42 into the game. Glendening responded with a waist-high deflection five minutes later, followed by Tampa Bay’s first short-handed goal after Devils defenseman Luke Hughes lost the puck.
Point and Bratt exchanged second-period goals, with Point reaching 20 goals for the seventh consecutive season. However, Tampa Bay captain Steven Stamkos was held without a point and finished minus-2, making him minus-20 for the season.
Injuries Impacting Both Teams
The Devils played without key players, including center Jack Hughes, defensemen Dougie Hamilton and Jonas Siegenthaler, and wingers Ondrej Palat, Timo Meier, and Tomas Nosek.
Tampa Bay saw defenseman Calvin de Haan leave after being hit by Mercer’s shot, but he returned in the second period. Defenseman Erik Cernak departed in the first period due to an upper-body injury and did not return.
UP NEXT
- Devils: Play Saturday night at Florida.
- Lightning: Host Anaheim on Saturday night.
