Nikita Kucherov had two goals, Andrei Vasilevskiy made 39 goals and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Calgary Flames 4-1 on Thursday night.
Steven Stamkos had a goal and an assist, and Philippe Myers also scored for the Lightning. Mikhail Sergachev had two assists and has five assists and seven points during a three-game hitting streak.
Kucherov had a power play goal and an empty net goal in the second period.
It’s the first time Tampa Bay has allowed fewer than two goals this season. The Lightning have given up three or more in 13 of 17 games.
“I’ll take the chances we had over the ones they had,” Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said.
“They get pucks to the net, but if your goalie sees them and from outside, it just limits what happens after that. I thought we did a good job tonight.”
Elias Lindholm scored for Calgary and Jacob Markstrom stopped 20 shots. The Flames have won two straight after losing seven straight (0-5-2).
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Stamkos’ goal was his 490th, tying him with Norm Ullman for 49th on the all-time list. The Lightning captain got his 500th career assist on Tuesday night against Dallas.
Stamkos has a goal in two consecutive games after going 10 games without one. He opened the season with seven goals during a five-game hitting streak.
“Every year it ebbs, it flows,” Stamkos said. “It wouldn’t be as hot as it was at the beginning. It’s not going to get as cold as it has been for a while. Things come out over the course of a long season.”
Lindholm had a power play goal at 4:53 of the third before Myers gave Tampa Bay a 3-1 lead 10 seconds later, when his unblocked shot from the blue line eluded Markstrom.
Less than a minute after Calgary’s Milan Lucic had a goal disallowed after a video review determined the Flames were offside, Stamkos made it 1-0 from the left circle at 8:03 of the first.
Kucherov gave Tampa Bay a 2-0 lead from the right circle on a power play with 1:44 left in the second. Making a smart play at the point to keep the puck in the offensive zone, Sergachev sent a backhand pass to Stamkos, who set up Kucherov with a pass through the slot.
Vasilevskiy turned aside 16 shots in the second.
Calgary’s Adam Ruzicka was left alone in the low left circle, but his shot hit the post midway through the second.
It was the first of a six-game Eastern Conference road trip for the Flames.
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“It’s going to be a big trip for us, for sure.” Calgary center Mikael Backlund said.
“When the journey is over, we’re at a point in the season where you can see where the team is at.”
© 2022 The Associated Press
