Stamkos nets 4th goal, Lightning beat Panthers 5-2

[January 30, 2013]  TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- Steven Stamkos scored his fourth goal of the season and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Florida Panthers 5-2 on Tuesday night.

Tampa Bay, which has won five of six to start the year, also got goals from Cory Conacher, Tom Pyatt, Dana Tyrell and Vincent Lecavalier. Stamkos, who led the NHL with 60 goals last season, has 11 points during a season-opening six-game point streak this year.

Peter Mueller and Tomas Fleischmann scored for the Panthers, who have lost five in a row after a season-opening win over Carolina. Florida has been outscored 23-5 during its skid.

Stamkos put the Lightning up 1-0 on a power-play goal at 11:09 of the first. The man advantage came after Panthers defenseman Keaton Ellerby received two minor penalties, a fighting major and 10-minute misconduct following a fight with Tampa Bay right wing B.J. Crombeen, who had tripped a Florida player. Crombeen was given one minor penalty and a fighting major.

The Panthers tied it just 15 seconds after Stamkos' goal when Mueller scored after Lightning goalie Anders Lindback misplayed the puck behind his net.

Tampa Bay went up 2-1 when Conacher, while being held from behind by Florida defenseman Mike Weaver, skated down the slot and beat goalie Jose Theodore with 7:11 left in the first.

Second-period goals by Pyatt and Tyrell extended the Lightning's lead to 4-1. Tyrell stopped a personal 38-game goal drought.

After Lecavalier had a power-play goal 14:13 into the third, Fleischmann scored on a short-handed breakaway 18 seconds later. The Lightning have outscored their opposition 14-2 during the third period this season.

Tampa Bay's Martin St. Louis had an assist. The right wing has nine assists and 12 points overall.

NOTES: Stamkos has a six-game goal streak against the Panthers. ... Florida LW Kris Versteeg (groin) played for first time this season. ... Conacher, in his rookie season, has at least one point in five of six games this year. ... The Panthers recalled C Drew Shore from San Antonio of the AHL.

[Associated Press; By MARK DIDTLER]

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