Lightning snap 5-game skid, beat reeling Devils

[March 06, 2013]  NEWARK, N.J. (AP) -- Nate Thompson scored twice and Martin St. Louis and rookie Alexander Killorn each had a goal and an assist as the Tampa Bay Lightning snapped a five-game losing streak with a 5-2 victory over the struggling New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night.

Cory Conacher and Vincent Lecavalier each had two assists as the Lightning won for only the second time in eight games and extended the Devils' winless streak to six games (0-5-1).

Anders Lindback had 25 saves for the Lightning, surrendering late goals to Adam Henrique and Patrik Elias.

New Jersey's slide has taken place with Johan Hedberg in goal for the injured Martin Brodeur (back). The crowd at the Prudential Center cheered wildly after coach Peter DeBoer sent Keith Kinkaid out for his first NHL action after Tampa Bay opened a 3-0 lead.

The only good thing the Devils did was end Steven Stamkos' 10-game point streak. He had scored goals in eight of his last nine games, and only a pad save by Kinkaid on a breakaway early in the third period prevented the streak from continuing. Thompson put the Lightning ahead for good with 2:56 left in the first period. Hedberg played the puck from behind his own net and Lightning rookie Ondrej Palat got the puck in the corner, found Conacher in the left circle. The rookie found Thompson alone in from for a shot that Hedberg never had a chance to stop.

Tampa Bay put the game away in the second period on the goals by St. Louis and Killorn.

St. Louis' sixth tally of the season came on a 3-on-2 play that Killorn started in his own end. He made a pass to Lecavalier coming out of the Lightning's own zone, took a return pass in New Jersey's zone and then found St. Louis alone at the left side of the net for a tap-in at 5:33.

Killorn, who has four goals and four assists in 13 games since being called up, made a great play on the third goal. He skated out from behind the Devils' net, moved between the circles and beat Hedberg between the pads with Hedberg distracted by Lecavalier and St. Louis standing on either side of him.

Thompson upped the margin to 4-0 with a snap shot from in close after another nice set up by Conacher.

Henrique ended Lindback's bid for his first shutout of the season with a short-handed goal with 6:16 to play. Elias scored on a power play with 4:45 to go and Andrei Loktionov had a shot roll along the goal line with 2:00 to go. Lindback created a little excitement with 1:27 firing a shot at an empty net just wide.

B.J. Crombeen iced the game seconds later with an empty-net goal.

NOTES: Tough guys Krysofer Barch of the Devils and Pierre-Cedric Labrie did more dancing than fighting in their first-period tussle. Both still got 5 for fighting. ... Palat has two assists in two games since being called up from Syracuse on Monday. ... This was the second of three games between the teams this season. The final one will be in Florida on March 29. ... The Devils have given up the first goal in seven consecutive games. ... Killorn has points in six of the last 10 games.

[Associated Press; By TOM CANAVAN]

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