ONDREJ PALAT

Lightning Red Wings Hockey Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Ondrej Palat (18) celebrates his goal against the Detroit Red Wings in overtime during an NHL hockey game Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya) (Paul Sancya)DETROIT — (AP) — Ondrej Palat scored with 2:17 left in overtime, lifting the Tampa Bay Lightning to a 7-6 comeback victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday night. Tyler Bertuzzi scored a career-high four goals, including three in the second period, to help the Red Wings take a three-goal lead three times. ... Vasilevskiy is 13-0 in the regular season against the Red Wings. Red Wings: Host Vancouver on Saturday night.

Ondrej Palat scored with 2:17 left in overtime, lifting the Tampa Bay Lightning to a 7-6 comeback win over the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday night.

The final three Pittsburgh goals were into an empty net. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman was in attendance as Tampa Bay unveiled its 2020-21 Stanley Cup banner during a pregame ceremony. Lightning coach Jon Cooper pulled Vasilevskiy with 6 minutes left and it paid off when Cirelli scored at 14:23. Bowman (Detroit 1997-98), Lightning coach Jon Cooper and Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan (2016-17) are the last three NHL coaches to win back to back Stanley Cups. RECORD-TYING WINSullivan tied Dan Bylsma for the most regular-season wins by a Pittsburgh coach with 252.

Nikita Kucherov has led the Tampa Bay Lightning to the verge of a second consecutive Stanley Cup championship by doing a little bit of everything.

(Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press via AP) (Paul Chiasson)MONTREAL — (AP) — The quick-strike Tampa Lightning struck for two early second-period goals to build a 4-2 lead over the Montreal Canadiens entering the third period Friday night in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final. Nikita Kucherov and Tyler Johnson scored on early odd-man rushes 1:53 apart for the defending champion Lightning, who have a 2-0 series lead. The Lightning have scored the first goal in each of the three games of a series in which the Canadiens have yet to hold a lead. Kucherov scored 1:40 into the second period after Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak caught the Canadiens sleeping on a line change. The Lightning were without forward Alex Killorn, who missed his second game with an undisclosed injury.

Stanley Cup Hockey Tampa Bay Lightning's Jan Rutta (44) celebrates his goal against the Montreal Canadiens with Ondrej Palat (18) and Victor Hedman (77) during the first period of Game 3 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final, Friday, July 2, 2021, in Montreal. (Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press via AP) (Paul Chiasson)MONTREAL — (AP) — Jan Rutta and Victor Hedman scored in an early 1:35 span and the defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning led the Montreal Canadiens 2-1 after one period Friday night in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final. The Canadiens responded with Phillip Danault scoring with 8:44 left in the period in the first Stanley Cup Final game in Montreal since the Canadiens won their 24th title in Game 5 against the Wayne Gretzky-led Los Angeles Kings on June 9, 1993. The Lightning lead the series 2-0 and have scored the first goal in each of the three games. The Lightning were without forward Alex Killorn, who missed his second game with an undisclosed injury.

The Montreal Canadiens need more from their best offensive line in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Playoff scoring leader Nikita Kucherov had two goals and an assist and Andrei Vasilevskiy finished with 18 saves to outplay Carey Price and lead the Tampa Bay Lightning to a 5-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final.

Brayden Point and Ondrej Palat delivered early goals and NHL playoff scoring leader Nikita Kucherov had three more assists to help the Tampa Bay Lightning rebound from a series-opening loss and beat the New York Islanders 4-2 in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup semifinals.

Islanders Lightning Hockey New York Islanders right wing Leo Komarov (47) falls over Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Ondrej Palat (18) during the third period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup semifinal playoff series Sunday, June 13, 2021, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) (Chris O'Meara)TAMPA, Fla. — (AP) — Semyon Varlamov made 30 saves and the New York Islanders got goals from Mathew Barzal and Ryan Pulock to beat the defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 on Sunday in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup semifinals. Varlamov won four games in the second round, including the final three as the Islanders rallied to eliminate the Boston Bruins. The best-of-seven series that continues in Tampa Tuesday night is a rematch of last year’s Eastern Conference final, won by the Lightning in six games. HOME ICE ADVANTAGEThe Lightning began a series at home for the first time this postseason. Starting on the road has hardly been a hindrance for the defending champs, who won Games 1 and 2 away from home against the Florida Panthers, as well as the Hurricanes.

Semyon Varlamov made 30 saves and the New York Islanders got goals from Mathew Barzal and Ryan Pulock to beat the defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 on Sunday in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup semifinals.

Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos each had two goals and an assist, and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Carolina Hurricanes 6-4 to open a commanding lead in their second-round playoff series.

Alex Killorn scored a pair of second-period goals and the Tampa Bay Lightning rebounded from its first postseason loss to rout the Florida Panthers 6-2 and take a commanding 3-1 lead in the first-round Central Division playoff matchup.

It's the seventh time that the Lightning have won the first two games a series, the third time doing so on the road. Mason Marchment had the goal for Florida, which dropped consecutive games on home ice for only the second time this season. A couple of bounces — one off a Panther, the other off a post — staked Tampa Bay to a 2-0 lead in the opening period. But the Panthers never got the equalizer, and Gourde's easy one sealed matters for the Lightning. LOOKING AHEADTampa Bay was 21-7-0 at home this season, but Florida was the only team to beat the Lightning twice in their rink.

Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 32 shots, Steven Stamkos and Ondrej Palat had first-period goals and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Florida Panthers 3-1 on Tuesday night to take a 2-0 lead in their Central Division first-round playoff series.

Chris Driedger stopped 30 shots to record his third shutout of the season, Juho Lammikko scored a short-handed goal, and the Florida Panthers secured home-ice advantage for the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs with a 4-0 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning in the regular season finale for both clubs.

Blake Coleman converted a short-handed penalty shot and Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 20 shots for his 26th career shutout to lead the Tampa Bay Lightning to a 3-0 victory against the Dallas Stars on Thursday night.

Andrei Vasilevskiy made 25 stops to move to 12-0 lifetime against Detroit and lead the Tampa Bay Lightning to a 2-1 victory.

Columbus Blue Jackets players celebrate their goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)COLUMBUS, Ohio – Hours after trading disgruntled center Pierre-Luc Dubois, the Columbus Blue Jackets got three first-period goals and beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-2 Saturday. Nick Foligno, Mikhail Grigorenko, Vladislav Gavrikov, Zach Werenski and Eric Robinson scored, and Elvis Merzlikins had 30 saves as the Blue Jackets played their most explosive game of the season. The Blue Jackets tied it 17 seconds later when Foligno knocked in a rebound off Vasilevsky's stick. The Blue Jackets host the Florida Panthers on Tuesday and Thursday.