Lightning 4, Flyers 2
Captain Steven Stamkos and Tyler Johnson each recorded a goal and an assist while Anders Lindback made 34 saves as host Tampa Bay completed a sweep of the three-game season series.
Defenseman Eric Brewer and Richard Panik scored third-period goals for the Lightning, who moved within one point of Montreal for second place in the Atlantic Division. Lindback won his seventh game of 2013-14 – including all three against the Flyers – while blue-liners Michael Kostka and Victor Hedman added two assists apiece.
Wayne Simmonds and Sean Couturier tallied for Philadelphia, which remained in a virtual tie with Columbus for third place in the Metropolitan Division. Ray Emery turned aside 26 shots for the Flyers, who fell to 3-5-2 in their last 10 contests.
Johnson opened the scoring exactly two minutes into the game, one-timing a cross-ice pass from Stamkos past Emery. Simmonds was left alone in front to tie it on the power play at 18:39 of the second period, turning to whip a shot off the left side of Lindback’s body after a nifty setup by captain Claude Giroux.
Panik retrieved his own rebound and slid a backhand shot past Emery 4:33 into the third for his first goal since Dec. 19 and Brewer one-timed a feed by Johnson from the slot 5:10 later. Couturier’s pass defected off Lightning forward Ondrej Palat’s stick and over Lindback at 12:22, but Stamkos scored from below the left faceoff circle during a power play 1:52 later.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Johnson broke the Lightning’s rookie record for goals in a season in the first period with his 24th, eclipsing Stamkos’ mark set in 2008-09. … It was the 15th power-play goal of the season for Simmonds, tying Joe Pavelski of San Jose for second in the league. … Tampa Bay RW Teddy Purcell played his 400th career game.