Lightning edge Golden Knights 5-4 on late goal

Field Level Media|published: Thu 21st December, 22:06 2023

Dec 21, 2023; Tampa, Florida, USA; Las Vegas Golden Knights left wing William Carrier (28) attempts to gain control of the puck in the second period against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena. credits: Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports

Tampa Bay's Nicholas Paul scored the go-ahead goal with 1:13 remaining in regulation as the Lightning won a wild 5-4 affair over the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday night.

Paul, who added two assists, found a rebound and ripped his 11th goal from a sharp angle past sliding goaltender Jiri Patera (31 saves) for the game-winner.

Brayden Point scored twice and had an assist to eclipse 500 career points, and Nikita Kucherov had a goal and two assists for his 17th multipoint game. Alex Barre-Boulet scored, while Victor Hedman had three helpers.

Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 30 shots in his sixth straight start for the Lightning, who played without defenseman Mikhail Sergachev (lower body).

Tampa Bay won its fourth straight at home and own a 10-3-3 mark at home.

The Golden Knights' Jonathan Marchessault scored twice, Paul Cottter had a goal and an assist and Ivan Barbashev potted a goal.

Jack Eichel earned two assists to extend his franchise-record point streak to a dozen games.

Vegas lost a one-goal match for the first time in regulation (8-1-5).

In the first period, the defending Stanley Cup champions killed off the lone power play and beat Vasilevskiy twice for a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes.

Marchessault took advantage of a fortunate bounce off a shot by Brayden McNabb, who had two assists. The rebound bounced over to the far side, and a wide-open Marchessault made it 1-0 at 11:40.

Just over five minutes later, Eichel won a battle on the right half-boards, and Stone whipped a sharp pass to Barbashev for his ninth tally for Vegas, which hit the net on its last two shots in the frame.

At 8:25 of the second, Hedman sent a long shot wide of Patera. Skating in from below the goal line, Barre-Boulet chipped in his sixth goal to cut Vegas' lead in half.

During a five-on-three power play late in the period, the Lightning got the lead on a pair of tallies - Kucherov on a one-timer, his 23rd, and Point from in his close. Point added a second for his 16th.

It marked the second consecutive match the Golden Knights allowed at least three goals in the middle frame.

With Kucherov off for unsportsmanlike conduct, a tic-tac-toe pass ended with Marchessault sending home his 17th goal at 5:31 of the third. Cotter tied it

with his fifth at 9:44.

—Field Level Media

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