Victor Hedman, Nikita Kucherov, and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare scored within a span of just over three minutes in the third period, propelling the Tampa Bay Lightning to a 6-3 comeback victory against the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night.
Steven Stamkos and Alex Killorn had earlier scored 41 seconds apart late in the second period to tie the game at 3-3. Pat Maroon also scored for the Lightning, and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 22 saves as Tampa Bay improved to 8-2-1 in its last 11 games.
“We were not ready,” Bellemare said of the team’s slow start. “We were way too slow. Unfortunately, we needed a kick in the butt to finally wake up, so I would put that in the unacceptable category.”
New Jersey, which has lost nine of its last 11 games, was led by rookie Dawson Mercer, who scored a goal and two assists. Jack Hughes and Yegor Sharangovich each added a goal and an assist. Jon Gillies made 24 saves before being replaced after conceding the sixth goal.
Hedman broke the 3-3 tie with a slap shot from the left point at 7:17 of the third period, beating a screened Gillies. Kucherov extended the lead on a breakaway less than two minutes later. Bellemare sealed the game by sweeping a loose puck into an open net after Gillies misplayed a shot by Corey Perry, who also assisted on Hedman’s goal.
Trailing 3-1 with less than five minutes remaining in the second period, the Lightning finally sparked to life. Stamkos reduced the deficit with a shot from the top of the circle, his third goal in two games. Killorn tied the game by tipping a point shot from Mikhail Sergachev past Gillies.
A key factor in the Lightning’s comeback was coach Jon Cooper’s decision to shuffle the lines.
“We’ve done pretty well this year, and when the coach changes the lines, it’s a wake-up call,” Killorn said. “As we saw tonight, we scored quickly after those changes, so it was nice. They might say the same.”
Devils forward Tomas Tatar felt New Jersey dominated the first 35 minutes, but the quick goals deflated them heading into the third.
“It was an open game,” Tatar said. “But once they tied it, we didn’t play the same way as we did in the first half of the game.”
Devils defenseman Damon Severson acknowledged the Lightning’s superiority in the final 25 minutes.
“They’re back-to-back Stanley Cup champions,” he said. “They were always going to get better, and we just couldn’t hold on in the last 20 minutes.”
Mercer and Hughes were instrumental in giving New Jersey the early lead.
Mercer was credited with the first goal after Hughes stick-checked Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak, causing the puck to go into the net. Mercer got his 11th goal as the last Devil to have possession of the puck.
Maroon tied the game less than a minute later, capitalizing on a loose puck in front.
A turnover by Hedman on a penalty kill led to a power-play goal by Sharangovich at 19:04.
Hughes extended the lead to 3-1 early in the second period, backhanding his own rebound into the net after Vasilevskiy stopped his initial chance. Mercer set up the play by stealing the puck from Lightning defenseman Cal Foote at the blue line.
Game notes
- Killorn’s goal was his 162nd, moving him past Tyler Johnson for fifth in Lightning history.
- Devils center Nico Hischier had his four-game goal streak snapped, tied for the longest of his career.
- Perry is still seeking his 400th career goal.
UP NEXT:
- Lightning: Host Edmonton on Feb. 23.
- Devils: Visit Pittsburgh on Feb. 24.
