Vladislav Gavrikov scores in OT as Kings top Lightning

Field Level Media|published: Sun 24th March, 01:29 2024

Mar 23, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Kings center Blake Lizotte (46) leaps over Tampa Bay Lighting defensemen Erik Cernak (81) during the second period of an NHL hockey game at Crypto.com Arena. credits: Yannick Peterhans-USA TODAY Sports

Vladislav Gavrikov scored 25 seconds into overtime as the host Los Angeles Kings captured their third straight win by edging the hot Tampa Bay Lightning 4-3 on Saturday night.

Gavrikov streaked down the middle of the ice, took a feed from Adrian Kempe, who scored the game's first goal, and beat goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (19 saves) for his sixth tally of the season.

Los Angeles (37-22-11, 85 points) got goals from Trevor Moore and Mikey Anderson as the club won its fourth consecutive at home.

It is 9-2-1 on home ice since the All-Star Break and improved to 28-0-3 when leading after two periods of play.

Goalie Cam Talbot stopped 21 shots for his 22nd win this season.

The Kings moved to 4-6 in three-on-three overtime and 17-9-6 against Eastern Conference competition.

Steven Stamkos scored twice, Brayden Point had a goal and an assist and Nikita Kucherov notched an assist to extend his franchise-record assist streak to 13 games for the Lightning (38-25-7, 83 points).

The Atlantic Division team went 2-for-3 on the power play but had its season-high-tying five-game winning streak snapped.

In an intense first period, the Kings forced a turnover in the offensive end and made it 1-0 behind some quick passing.

Quinton Byfield immediately set up Anze Kopitar, who skated through the right circle and slid a pass through the crease. Behind a defender, Kempe then directed the puck in at 7:03 for his 22nd goal.

During a matchup of the NHL's top power-play unit against the best penalty-kill group, the Lightning tied it on their first-man advantage when Point was credited with his 41st marker on an own goal as a collection of sticks swatted at the puck with just six seconds left.

The Kings took their second lead 2:18 into the second when Moore chipped in his team-leading 26th goal off a feed from Pierre-Luc Dubois through traffic.

Just 72 seconds into the third, Anderson increased the lead to 3-1 when he grabbed a backward pass by defenseman Darren Raddysh, led a two-on-one rush and scored just his second goal this season.

Stamkos one-timed a power-play goal with 4:34 remaining and tied it with 46 seconds left on his 29th goal.

—Field Level Media

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