Lightning 3, Flyers 1
Andrei Vasilevskiy turned aside 23 shots in his NHL debut while Tyler Johnson recorded a goal and an assist as visiting Tampa Bay defeated Philadelphia for the sixth straight time.
Captain Steven Stamkos scored his 18th goal and Valtteri Filppula sealed it with an empty-net tally in the final minute while Ryan Callahan notched two assists for the Lightning. Vasilevskiy, a first-round pick in 2012, was recalled earlier in the day after No. 1 goaltender Ben Bishop suffered a lower-body injury in Monday's loss at Pittsburgh.
Wayne Simmonds scored a goal for the third consecutive game for the Flyers, who saw their five-game point streak (3-0-2) come to an end. Steve Mason made 20 saves for Philadelphia, which registered a power-play goal for the eighth straight contest.
Simmonds scored his team-high eighth man-advantage tally with 40.4 seconds left in the first period, tipping in defenseman Mark Streit’s shot from the point to open the scoring. Stamkos evened the contest 1:50 into the second, taking a drop pass from rookie Jonathan Drouin and beating Mason from the right faceoff circle.
The Lightning took the lead seven seconds after their power play ended as Johnson swept home a rebound 6:34 into the middle session. Vasilevskiy made a sprawling glove save at the right post on Scott Laughton after he had curled through Tampa Bay's defense and denied Michael Raffl with his pad later in the third period.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Stamkos has registered 17 goals in 22 career games against the Flyers. … Philadelphia D Nick Schultz made a dazzling kick save to prevent a goal by Drouin in the first period while Mason was away from his net. … Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper told reporters Bishop will be re-evaluated over the weekend and did not think the injury was a “severely long-term deal.”