Drouin's OT goal lifts Lightning over Avalanche
DENVER -- Jonathan Drouin scored unassisted at 2:27 of overtime, and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Colorado Avalanche 3-2 on Sunday night.
Ben Bishop made 27 saves, Brayden Point and Vladislav Namestnikov also had goals for Tampa Bay (26-24-8).
Mikko Rantanen scored early in the third period, Matt Duchene tied it in the final minute of regulation, and Calvin Pickard had 35 saves for the Avalanche (16-38-3).
Drouin got the winner when he stole the puck from Matt Nieto in front of Colorado's net and beat Pickard with a backhander for his 17th of the season.
Tampa Bay had chances to put the game on ice in regulation but couldn't convert. Tyler Johnson had a goal disallowed for interfering with the goaltender at 10:44 of the third, and Nikita Kucherov hit a post moments later to keep the score 2-1.
Those near misses cost the Lightning. Pickard came off for an extra skater with 1:40 left, and Duchene tied it 58 seconds later when his shot ricocheted off Tampa Bay defensemen Victor Hedman and Jake Dotchin and past Bishop for his 16th of the season.
The teams traded chances in the first period, but Tampa Bay got the only goal when Point scored at 18:18. It was his eighth of the season and his fifth in the past eight games since missing 14 games with an upper-body injury.
Namestnikov made it 2-0 midway through the second period on what looked like an innocent shot. He came down the left side with defenseman Tyson Barrie shadowing him, but Namestnikov slid a shot along the ice and through Pickard's legs at 10:09.
Rantanen cut the lead in half when he scored on the rebound of a Blake Comeau miss at 2:46 of the third period. It was his 13th of the season and second in as many games. The rookie has seven goals and three assists in the past 12 games.
NOTES: Lightning C Cory Conacher was a healthy scratch and was expected to be reassigned to AHL Syracuse. Conacher was recalled Saturday morning in case Jonathan Drouin could not play against Dallas that night due to illness, but Drouin was in the lineup. ... Avalanche F Rene Bourque continues to be sidelined with a head injury. He has not played in eight games and has missed 11 of the last 14 overall. ... Tampa Bay D Luke Witkowski and Colorado D Cody Goloubef were healthy scratches. ... Avalanche D Tyson Barrie played in his first home game since Jan. 17. He missed eight games with a lower-body injury but returned during Colorado's recent road trip.