The Tampa Bay Lightning have bounced back nicely from their longest losing streak of the young season. Meanwhile, it's been nearly a month since the Columbus Blue Jackets won back-to-back games. After losing four straight, the Lightning will aim to notch their fourth straight win when they visit the Blue Jackets on Thursday.
Tampa Bay opened November on an 0-3-1 slide, but has since outscored opponents 11-3 during its current three-game winning streak. On Tuesday at Pittsburgh, the Lightning trailed 2-0 after two periods, but Brayden Point scored twice, including 3:58 into overtime, for a 3-2 Tampa Bay victory that snapped its three-game road skid. "I think it just shows what we need to be successful," said Point, who returned Tuesday after missing four games with a lower-body injury.
"I think that third period is how we're going to have to win games ...
Just good defending and working our chances." Anthony Cirelli also scored for a third consecutive game and Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 17 of 19 shots faced. Vasilevskiy has stymied 99 of 103 attempts over his last four starts (3-0-1).
Meanwhile, Point has 10 goals with 15 points in the 13 games he's played this season. "He's got an engine, that kid. He's got a nose for the net," Lightning coach Jon Cooper said.
"We're obviously a much better team when Point is in the lineup." Tampa Bay has won 10 of the last 12 meetings with Columbus, with Point scoring three times in the last five contests between the teams. Vasilevskiy has a.