Lightning 1, Maple Leafs 0
TAMPA, Fla. -- Andrei Vasilevskiy won his sixth straight decision Wednesday with his best performance of the season, shutting out the Toronto Maple Leafs in a 1-0 win at Amalie Arena to send the Tampa Bay Lightning into the All-Star break with momentum.
A power-play goal by Lightning center Steven Stamkos in the first five minutes held up as the game's only goal, with Toronto backup Jonathan Bernier keeping the Maple Leafs in the game with 28 saves.
Vasilevskiy, the lightning's backup goalie, had allowed at least two goals in his last five prior to Wednesday.
Tampa Bay (27-18-4) won eight of nine games going into the break, with the 21-year-old Vasilevskiy stopping all 29 Toronto shots for his first shutout of the season and just the second of his career.
Toronto (17-22-9) has just one win in their last 10 games and was shut out for the seventh time this season. Toronto pulled its goalie for the final two minutes but couldn't even the score.
Tampa Bay had 17 of the game's first 18 shots before eventually scoring a power-play goal five minutes in while not allowing a shot in the first 13 minutes.
Stamkos reclaimed the team scoring lead with his 21st goal of the season, shortly after Toronto was called for a delay penalty for sending the puck over the glass. Stamkos had been tied with winger Nikita Kucherov for the team scoring lead before the goal.
Tampa Bay owned the opening period, outshotting Toronto 17-1 at one point.
The best of Vasilevskiy's 16 saves through two periods came with 1:15 left in the second, making a point-blank glove save off a rebound to take the shutout into the third period.
The Lightning had six power plays in game, with Stamkos' winner with the extra man being the difference. Toronto missed on all three of its early power-play opportunities in the game.
NOTES: Tampa Bay gave starting G Ben Bishop the night off in advance of his All-Star game appearance. ... Toronto's healthy scratches were RW Brad Boyes, LW Josh Leivo and D Martin Marincin. ... Tampa Bay had two healthy scratches were RW Erik Condra and D Matthew Carle. ... Tampa Bay will have Bishop and C Steven Stamkos as their All-Star representatives. ... C Leo Komarov will represent Toronto this weekend in Nashville.