Lightning 5, Devils 2
Nate Thompson registered his first career two-goal contest and added an assist as visiting Tampa Bay held off a late rally to snap a five-game losing streak.
Rookie Alex Killorn and Martin St. Louis recorded a goal and an assist apiece and B.J. Crombeen sealed it with an empty-net goal with 1:20 remaining. Captain Vincent Lecavalier and rookie Cory Conacher each contributed a pair of assists and Anders Lindback made 25 saves for Tampa Bay.
Adam Henrique scored New Jersey’s league-leading sixth short-handed goal with 6:16 left in the contest and Patrik Elias scored on the power play 1:31 later. Keith Kinkaid made 12 saves in his NHL debut after taking over for starter Johan Hedberg as the Devils extended their winless streak to six (0-5-1).
The Lightning were outshot 10-4 in the first period, but finished with a 1-0 lead. Ondrej Palat created a turnover and Thompson was alone in front to knock home Conacher’s backhand pass from right faceoff circle at 17:04.
Killorn deked around a defender near the right circle and zipped a pass across the ice to St. Louis, who beat Hedberg 5:53 into the second period. Killorn scored his fourth goal after wheeling into the slot and letting go a shot that got past Hedberg through a screen at 13:13 for a 3-0 lead.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Lightning C Steven Stamkos, the league-leading goal scorer with 17, had his 10-game point streak snapped. … New Jersey G Martin Brodeur missed his sixth straight game with a sore back. … Tampa Bay put LW Benoit Pouliot on injured reserve to make room for G Cedrick Desjardins, who was recalled to back up Lindback with G Mathieu Garon day-to-day because of a lower-body injury.