Ondrej Palat again sparks Lightning past Blackhawks

[January 16, 2021]  For the second consecutive game, Tampa Bay's Ondrej Palat scored to spark a three-goal period, and the host Lightning beat the Chicago Blackhawks 5-2 on Friday.

Palat, Alex Killorn and Blake Coleman -- on three different forward lines -- produced tallies in the second period, with the goals coming in a span of 5:46 to create a sizable advantage for the defending Stanley Cup champions.

Yanni Gourde, Steven Stamkos, Palat and Coleman each had goal and an assist while Barclay Goodrow dished out two helpers for the Lightning, who swept the two games from Chicago aided by five combined points from Stamkos.

Goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy made 35 saves on 37 shots to go to 2-0-0.

Alex DeBrincat notched a goal and an assist and Patrick Kane scored his first of the season for the Blackhawks. Goaltender Collin Delia made his first start this season for Chicago and stopped 32 of 37 shots.

Two days after Tampa Bay's three-goal, first-period explosion resulted in a season-opening 5-1 win, Chicago matched the tempo of the speedy Lightning early, limiting their offensive chances and posting a 13-10 shot advantage in the first period.

Delia's best moment in the frame was a strong save on Anthony Cirelli on a breakaway at 10:30. After giving up allowing a pair of power-play goals Wednesday, the Blackhawks killed the period's lone man advantage.

However, as he did in the opener, Palat broke the ice for the home side, but it was a gift-wrapped marker off a mistake by Delia as the backstop was trying to pass to defenseman Duncan Keith behind the goal.

Chicago Blackhawks center Pius Sutter (24) looks to shoot the puck during the second period against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports

Delia went to play the puck, but Stamkos stole the pass and fed Palat, who fired home his second marker at 2:25 of the second -- but only after Keith got a piece of the shot while leaping back in front of the net and past the fallen Delia.

Killorn roofed in his first goal at 4:43, and Coleman -- deep in the netminder's blue paint -- backhanded in a loose puck at 8:11 for a 3-0 edge as the Lightning swarmed the Blackhawks' defense.

But DeBrincat scored a power-play goal at 14:20 of the second, then fed Kane for a backhander to trim the gap to 3-2 less than two minutes later as the visitors got back in it.

Gourde and Stamkos netted goals in the latter half of the third period, and the Lightning cruised to their second victory.

--Field Level Media

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