Lightning skate away from depleted Penguins

[October 27, 2021] The visiting Tampa Bay Lightning scored three times in the second period Tuesday en route to a 5-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) takes a drink prior to the game against the Pittsburgh Penguins at FLA Live Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Brayden Point, Ondrej Palat, Ryan McDonagh, Mikhail Sergachev and Alex Killorn scored for Tampa Bay, which had lost three straight (0-2-1) entering the game. Tampa Bay goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 28 shots.

Jason Zucker scored for the Penguins, who sustained their first regulation loss in their sixth game of the season. They had picked up eight of a possible 10 points through their first five games despite playing without a revolving door of top players.

This was their second straight game without Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, Bryan Rust and Jeff Carter. Pittsburgh goaltender Tristan Jarry, in his 100th career start, made 26 saves.

Pittsburgh's Brock McGinn put the puck in with 5:16 left in the first, but it was waved off because there was a whistle before the shot. There were no goals but two big skirmishes in the first -- the Penguins' Sam Lafferty against McDonagh, and Lafferty against Corey Perry.

The Lightning not only got the first goal of the game but took their first lead in regulation of any game this season when Point scored 31 seconds into the second.

Tampa Bay then picked up two quick-strike goals. Palat's snapshot from the top of the right circle sailed past Jarry's glove at 11:18 to make it 2-0.

Ten seconds later, Steven Stamkos circled the back of the Pittsburgh net with the puck, then set up McDonagh for a one-timer from the top of the left circle that beat Jarry high to the far side for a 3-0 lead.

The assist was Stamkos' team-leading 10th point. That compelled the Penguins to use their timeout. It settled things down but didn't change the outcome. Sergachev scored an empty-netter with 3:05 left in the game. Zucker spoiled Vasilevskiy's shutout bid when he scored a six-on-four power-play goal with Jarry pulled with 2:17 remaining.

Killorn scored another empty-netter with 1:05 left.

--Field Level Media

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