The Lightning lost their second game straight when they hosted the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday, February 29th at the Amalie Arena. Rasmus Dahlin scored the game-winning goal in overtime for the 3-2 final after the Sabres had lost their last game, breaking their three-game win streak. Victor Hedman recorded an assist, which gave him his third 50-assist season and fourth 60-point season.
Sabres lineup against the Lightning:
Skinner - Thompson - Tuch
Mittelstadt - Cozens - Greenway
Benson - Krebs - Peterka
Robinson - Girgensons - Okposo
Dahlin - Jokiharju
Bryson - Clifton
Johnson - Clague
Luukkonen
Comrie
Lightning lineup against the Sabres:
Hagel - Point - Kucherov
Eyssimont - Cirelli - Chaffee
Stamkos - Paul - Sheary
Glendening - Motte
Hedman - Raddysh
Fleury - Cernak
de Haan - Perbix
Crozier
Vasilevskiy
Brayden Point gave a 1-0 lead to Tampa Bay on the power play at 11:48 of the first period. Point beat Luukkonen with the forehand after making a strong move to the net and past Connor Clifton. He extended his point streak to eight games with 10 points (six goals, four assists). Tying the game 1-1, Alex Tuch cut into a pass in the zone and scored from the high slot with a whiparound shot. The tie remained through the rest of the first frame.
Later in the middle frame at 2:42, Mitchell Chaffee gave back the lead to the Lightning 2-1. He redirected a shot by Erik Cernak in front of the net. Chaffee's goal had been the only one scored through the whole second period.
Tage Thompson tied it up 2-2 at 8:27 of the third period on the power play when he shot from the left circle... The Sabres and Lightning headed into overtime to determine the game-winner.
At 3:18 in overtime, Rasmus Dahlin struck his 15th goal of the season for the 3-2 final.
Mitchell Chaffee on the loss and their tough third period, and how the team makes sure the third is tougher for the other team: "It's tough... We need these points, so it's a tough one to swallow, but luckily we're right back at it on Saturday and we have to win," - "It's obviously doing the little things. It's getting in deep and forechecking well, but I think a lot of it comes down to penalties and it seems to be biting us a little bit now. I think that's a big part that we can kind of clean up a little bit."
Rasmus Dahlin on the third period and the overtime win: "It wasn't pretty, but we got some individual skill and talent, this group... We knew coming into this game that this game was really, really important. So I'm just happy we won."
Notes:
- Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 21 saves for Buffalo, Andrei Vasilevskiy made 20 saves for Tampa Bay.
- Brandon Hagel's point streak came to an end at 14 games with 21 points (nine goals, 12 assists)... His point streak had tied for the second-longest in Lightning history. Steven Stamkos had an 18-game point streak in 2009-10.
- Nikita Kucherov has a five-game point streak with 10 points (two goals, eight assists).
- Rasmus Dahlin became the second defenseman for the Buffalo Sabres to have consecutive 15-goal seasons, joining Phil Housley, who did it in eight straight from 1982-1990. Dahlin scored 15 in 78 last season and 15 in 59 this season.
*All photos used by the Tampa Bay Lightning used with permission*
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