Lightning Head To All-Star Break With 76-Points In 49 Games
The last time the Tampa Bay Lighting and San Jose Sharks met the Bolts were looking to extend a 16-game point streak. The Sharks ended that streak by soundly defeating the Bolts 5-2 at the SAP Center in San Jose.
Tonight the Bolts, after seeing their nine game home win streak snapped Thursday night in a 4-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs, began a new winning streak defeating San Jose 6-3.
Steven Stamkos scored twice and Mathieu Joseph, Alex Killorn, Yanni Gourde, Victor Hedman also scored and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 36 saves as the Lightning improve to 37-10-2 (76-points) on the season.
Evander Kane scored a pair of goals and Marcus Sorenson also scored for San Jose who fall to 28-15-7 (63-points) on the season.
Lightning Notes:
- Mathieu Joseph scored the games first goal (3:34). It was his 12th goal of the season and first since January 8th against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Anthony Cirelli and J.T. Miller each picked up an assist.
- Alex Killorn gave the Lightning a 2-0 lead (17:51) of the first period. It was his 11th goal of the season and first since December 20th, ending a 10-game scoreless drought.
- After a pair of Evander Kane goals coming at the end of the first period (19:39) and opening the second (0:58), Yanni Gourde put the Lightning up 3-2 scoring his 12th goal of the year (7:29). It was Gourde’s first goal since December 29th, ending a nine game scoreless drought.
- Steven Stamkos and Ondrej Palat picked up assists on Gourde’s goal. Stamkos’ assist extends his season long assist streak to six games (2-7–9). It matches his career long assist streak (October 14 though 24, 2017 [2-12–14]).
- Victor Hedman put the Lighting up 4-2 with his 7th goal of the season (12:21). Nikita Kucherov picked up an assist, he has now had an assist in 35 of 49 games this season.
- Stamkos gave Tampa Bay lead a 5-2 lead notching his 25th goal of the season. Nikita Kucherov picked up his second assist of the game.
- It was Kucherov’s team and NHL leading 24th multi-point game this season. It was Stamkos’ 15th such game. Kucherov also leads the NHL in assist (56) and points (78).
- Stamkos put the Bolts up 6-2 scoring his second goal of the game and 26th of the season (14:15). Victor Hedman and Brayden Point picked up assists.
- Hedman’s assist gave him his third multi-point game in his last five outings.
- Andrei Vasilevskiy picked up his 20th win of the season.
- Amalie Arena was sold out for its 183rd consecutive game.
Up Next:
Tampa Bay returns to action on January 31st in Pittsburgh where they’ll take on the Penguins. It’s the first of a three game road trip in which they’ll take on the Penguins, New York Islanders, and New York Rangers. The Bolts will return home on February 5th to take on the Vegas Golden Knights.
San Jose will travel to South Florida to take on the Panthers on Monday night before heading to D.C. to take on the Capitals on Tuesday. Their game against Washington is their last before the All-Star break.
