TAMPA, Fla. — Over the course of their three-game losing streak, the speed the Lightning typically play with wasn’t there. Maybe they had tired legs or got into a midseason rut playing so many games in such a short period of time.
They hadn’t had the luxury of practice to get back to basics. In their first full practice in more than three weeks on Wednesday, the focus was on returning to the tempo that is such a big part of playing winning hockey for the Lightning.
Thursday’s game had its ebbs and flows, with the Blue Jackets dictating pace for much of the second period and into the third. But after Eric Robinson scored to give Columbus a one-goal lead with 9:06 remaining, the Lightning struck quickly with two goals in a 66-second span to win, 3-2.
Rookie Ross Colton took a drop pass from Pat Maroon along the far boards and rifled a shot from the left dot for the tying goal with 5:12 left in the game.
Brayden Point scored his second goal of the game with 4:06 remaining, backhanding a puck that deflected off a Columbus defender into the net.
The Lightning came out fast and energized for the game at Amalie Arena. Quick through the neutral zone, they created offensive opportunities. They didn’t allow the Blue Jackets’ forecheck, one of Columbus’ strengths, to get going.
Point snapped a four-game scoreless drought with his 14th goal of the season, taking advantage of a 5-on-3 power play with 4:15 left in the first period.
He took a cross-slot pass from Victor Hedman below the left circle but didn’t have a good grasp of the puck so he kicked it out to Steven Stamkos at the top of the circle. After surveying, Stamkos went back to Point, who beat Columbus goaltender Elvis Merzlikins stickside inside the near post.
After the Lightning recorded 14 of the last 19 shots of the first period, Columbus dominated most of the second, outshooting Tampa Bay 15-7 in the stanza.
Columbus evened the score on Zach Werenski’s goal 9:04 into the second period, and Tampa Bay goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy prevented any further damage. He made a fantastic stop on Seth Jones’ redirection, then Boone Jenner’s rebound.
Jenner had to be shaking his head going into the second intermission. He lifted an open shot on a 3-on-1 breakaway high and had Vasilevskiy beat for a go-ahead goal on the power play with 3:26 left in the second. But Hedman, coming from the opposite side, stopped the puck with his stick just before it could cross the line.
The Lightning ended the period with two near-misses on the power play, as Stamkos hit the post off a slap shot from the left circle, and in the same sequence, Point hit iron off a one-timer from the slot.
Defenseman Luke Schenn and forward Mathieu Joseph also hit posts in the third period.