Lightning 6, Blackhawks 5 (OT)
TAMPA, Fla. -- Martin St. Louis scored the game-winning goal 1:16 into overtime to lift the Tampa Bay Lighting to a 6-5 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks.
St. Louis' goal came after Chicago goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin failed to control a rebound that ended up on St. Louis' stick and he easily slammed home for the winner.
It was a wild back-and-forth affair that featured a little bit of everything.
Steven Stamkos scored two goals and added two assists, including a goal with 2:29 remaining in regulation that put the Lightning ahead 5-4.
The lead was short lived, however, as the Lightning made a crucial error a few seconds later. Defensemen Matthew Carle wanted to push the puck back to fellow defensemen Radko Gudas to set up a line change. But Carle's pass was a little strong and deflected off Gudas' stick and past goalie Ben Bishop. Jonathan Toews was credited with the goal.
Tampa Bay (6-3-0) got off to a good start behind its strong special teams play. Carle scored the game's first goal on a power play and center Nate Thompson added short-handed goal early in the second period to give the Lightning a 2-0 lead.
Chicago (6-2-2) continued its strong play in the second period though and quickly rallying to tie the game with goals from Bryan Bickell and Marian Hossa.
Stamkos and Chicago's Patrick Kane also scored in the second period to make it 3-3 heading into the third.
The Blackhawks took their first lead of the game early in the third period when Andrew Shaw deflected a Kane slap shot past Bishop. Victor Hedman's equalizer came with 8:07 remaining in regulation, a snap wrist shot that went between Khabibulin's pads.
Khabibulin had been successful against his former team, going 2-0-1 with a 1.89 goals-against-average, but he struggled Thursday despite facing just 25 shots. Bishop finished with 38 saves.
Valtteri Filppula had two assists for the Lightning while Brent Seabrook had an assist and a plus-4 rating for the Blackhawks.
NOTES: This was the last meeting between the teams this season. Tampa Bay posted a 3-2 shootout victory Oct. 5 in Chicago. ... Going into Thursday's game, Tampa Bay was 3-2-0 during its seven-game homestand. ... Tampa Bay has won its last seven games when scoring a short-handed goal. ... Chicago trailed by two goals for the first time this season early in the second period. ... Chicago was shut out in the first period for the third consecutive game despite having 11 shots on goal. ... Hossa's second-period goal was reviewed after Bishop claimed Hossa's stick was above the crossbar, but the goal was upheld.
