TAMPA (620 WDAE) -- The Tampa Bay Lightning finished off an early-season test at home with flying colors, as they finished their three-game homestand against Pittsburgh, Washington and St. Louis unbeaten. They capped the stretch with a 2-1 victory over the Blues Saturday at Amalie Arena.
After a scoreless first period in which the Blues outshot the Lightning 15-9, Tampa Bay got their first power play of the night seven minutes into the second period when St. Louis was caught with too many men on the ice. On the advantage, the puck was worked around to Tyler Johnson, whose shot beat Jake Allen for his second goal of the season.
The Lightning added to their lead midway through the third, when Steven Stamkos found Kucherov onside and the forward beat Allen from the right hash marks for his fifth goal of the year.
Andre Vasilevskiy saw his opportunity for his first shutout of the year disappear late in the third when Vladimir Tarasenko's wrist shot beat him low to cut the deficit to 2-1, and the Lightning killed the final 50 seconds after Nikita Kucherov took a high-sticking penalty to preserve the win.
Tampa Bay finished their three-game homestand with a perfect 3-0-0 record and six points.
The Lightning now begin a three-game road trip with the first of a back-to-back Monday night in Detroit against the Red Wings. Face-off is scheduled for 7:30, with coverage on 970 WFLA beginning at 7:00.
SCORING SUMMARY
1st Period
NONE
2nd Period
- TBL: GOAL (PP) - Tyler Johnson (2). ASSISTS: Sergachev, Point. TIME - 8:20
3rd Period
- TBL: GOAL - Nikita Kucherov (5). ASSISTS - Stamkos, Namestnikov. TIME - 6:27
- STL: GOAL - Vladimir Tarasenko (4). ASSISTS - Schwartz, Schenn. TIME - 16:37
THREE STARS OF GAME
- TBL G Andrei Vasilevskiy (28 saves on 29 SOG)
- TBL RW Nikita Kucherov (1 G, +1, 3 SOG)
- TBL C Steven Stamkos (1 A, +1, 4 SOG)