The Tampa Bay Lightning rallied from an early deficit and extended their winning streak to five games with a hard-fought 4-2 victory over the Utah Mammoth on Sunday night at the Delta Center.
In a key Central Division matchup, it was Jake Guentzel who proved the difference-maker, notching an assist before scoring the unassisted game-winning goal at 12:06 of the third period. Guentzel’s goal, his fifth of the season, elevated his team-leading point total to 12 (5-7—12).
Team and Player Highlights
After falling behind 1-0 in the first, the Lightning got on the board courtesy of Yanni Gourde’s third goal of the season at 15:17 of the first period. The goal was significant for several players:
- Emil Lilleberg earned his first point of the season with an assist on the play, which pushed him past Patrick Thoreson for sole possession of the third-most points by a Norwegian skater in NHL history.
- Zemgus Girgensons recorded the secondary assist, moving him within three points of 200 for his career.
Anthony Cirelli put the Bolts ahead 2-1 early in the second, potting his team-leading seventh goal of the season. Cirelli’s tally extended his point streak to three games and earned him the third star of the night.
Following a brief scare when Utah tied the game at 2-2 in the third, Guentzel’s unassisted heroics restored the lead for good. Brandon Hagel sealed the victory with an empty-net goal—his fourth goal in as many games—extending his own point streak to five games (4-4—8).
Key Team Stats and Momentum
The Lightning’s ability to overcome a sluggish start was noteworthy; they picked up their first win this season when allowing the first goal, improving to 1-3-1 in such contests.
Goaltender Jonas Johansson earned his third win of the season, improving his record to 3-1-0. Despite being outshot 27-26 by the Mammoth, the Bolts’ strong special teams play was a factor. The penalty kill was perfect (3-for-3) and now sits tied for the second-best percentage in the NHL at 90%.
The five-game winning streak marks the 25th such streak for head coach Jon Cooper, continuing his climb up the all-time list among active NHL coaches. The victory improved Tampa Bay’s record to 6-4-2 overall and 5-1-0 against Western Conference opponents.
Up Next
The Lightning will now head out to face the Avalanche in Colorado on Tuesday night as they continue their road trip.
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