Game Recap: Hedman Bails Out Lightning In OT As Bolts Beat ‘Canes 4-3

The Tampa Bay Lightning played one of their worst games of the season, but found a way to beat the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3 in overtime.

Victor Hedman scored his second of the game in overtime and Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 28 of 31 shots to lead the Bolts past the ‘Canes.

Tyler Johnson and Nikita Kucherov also scored for the Bolts.

Victor Hedman got the Lightning on the board first as he scored on the power play for his eleventh of the year at 7:58 from Ondrej Palat (18) and Nikita Kucherov (32).

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The Bolts have scored on five consecutive power plays dating back to the Calgary game.

Carolina’s Noah Hanifin tied the game at one with his third of the year at 11:51.

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The ‘Canes Derek Ryan scored his ninth, a power play goal, at 14:54 from the left circle, to give Carolina the 2-1 lead.

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The period ended with Carolina leading  2-1 and shots at 18-4 in their favor. The Lightning looked flat, to say the least. Losing veteran teammates like Brian Boyle, Ben Bishop and Valtteri Filppula will do that to a team.

Bolts goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy was the single reason that the Hurricanes led by only one as he stopped 16 of the 18 shots Carolina fired at him.

The scoreless second period saw the Bolts power play scoring streak end at five.

Tyler Johnson tied the game at two as he redirected a Jake Dotchin shot past Eddie Lack for his 18th of the year at 10:51 of the third period. Dotchin (4) and Ondrej Palat (19) earned the assists on the Johnson goal.

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Nikita Kucherov put the Bolts up 3-2 when he scored his 27th of the season at 15:18. The go ahead goal was assisted by Tyler Johnson (23) and Jason Garrison (4). Kucherov’s goal streak is four.

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Carolina tied it with a shorthanded goal by Jay McClement at 17:23. McClement put the puck between Vasilevskiy’s legs as he was screened.

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The game went to overtime after the McClement goal.

Victor Hedman won the game with a bullet past Lack at :48 assisted by Kucherov (34) and Johnson (24).

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Andrei Vasilevskiy was a star tonight as he stopped 28 of the ‘Canes 31 shots.

The Lightning improved to 29-25-8 on the season.

“We apologize to our fans for that performance. But won’t apologize for the two points,” said Victor Hedman.

“I don’t think we can sit here and be really proud of what we did out there,” said Tyler Johnson.

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Tampa Bay will travel to Pittsburgh to tangle with the Penguins on Friday at 7:00.

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