Four different scorers and a 22-save performance from Andrei Vasilevskiy led the Tampa Bay Lightning to a 4-1 win over the Seattle Kraken on Monday afternoon.
The 2020 and 2021 Stanley Cup champions ended the Kraken’s eight-game winning streak (26-13-4).
In four games against the Kraken, the Lightning have an immaculate record of 4-0-0.
Jon Cooper’s troops opened the scoring late in the first period, when Pierre-Édouard Bellemare deceived the vigilance of Philipp Grubauer.
After a scoreless second period, Nicholas Paul doubled the score at 6:44 of the final period, pivoting on himself before firing a shot into the top corner for his 16th goal of the season.
Defender Vince Dunn cut the deficit in half by beating Vasilevskiy with a slapshot four minutes after Paul’s net.
It was Dunn’s 11th point in his last seven meetings. The latter totals 32 points (8-24) in 43 games in 2022-2023.
The Lightning (28-13-1) then completed the scoring by scoring two goals in an empty net, those of Brandon Hagel and Victor Hedman.
Hedman’s goal was only his second of the campaign, in his 39th game.
Grubauer has been tested 29 times by Tampa skaters.
Avalanche offense remains in great shape
Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon scored two goals apiece as the Colorado Avalanche posted their ninth straight win over the Detroit Red Wings, this time by a score of 6-3.
Artturi Lehkonen and JT Compher also hit the mark for the Avalanche, who followed up with another offensive burst after their 7-0 win over the Ottawa Senators on Saturday.
Eight different Avalanche players blacked out the scoresheet, including Evan Rodrigues and Devon Toews, who each had two assists. MacKinnon also had two assists in addition to his two goals.
With the Red Wings facing a 5-0 deficit late in the second period, Andrew Copp found the back of the net against Pavel Francouz, who was going for a second straight shutout.
Defensemen Ben Chiarot and Moritz Seider scored the other Red Wings goals in the third period.
After stopping 29 pucks against the Senators on Saturday, Francouz delivered another solid performance, with 26 saves.
In the loss, Ville Husso gave up five goals on 22 shots before giving way to Magnus Hellberg early in the third period. He gave up one goal on five shots.
Hughes and Tatar save the Devils
Tomas Tatar had the winning goal in the shootout and the New Jersey Devils beat the San Jose Sharks 4-3.
Jack Hughes of the Devils had scored at 7:50 in the third period, creating the deadlock.
New Jersey had retired Vitek Vanecek in favor of one more forward.
The first pick of the 2019 draft, Hughes is just one net away from a 30-goal first season in the NHL.
Nico Hischier and Ryan Graves were the other Devils scorers. Vanecek meanwhile made 28 saves.
Undefeated in their last five games, the Devils will play their next game Thursday in Seattle.
Nick Bonino, Erik Karlsson and Timo Meier fought back for the Sharks, who were losing a third straight game.
Scoring his 14th goal this season, Karlsson reached the 200-point milestone with San Jose.
Michael Eyssimont had two assists and James Reimer blocked 35 shots.
Oettinger gets his third shutout of the season
Jake Oettinger stopped 27 shots and the Dallas Stars prevailed 4-0 at the expense of the Vegas Golden Knights.
The 24-year-old American earned a third shutout this season.
Winnipeg and Dallas hold the top two spots in the Central Division. Both have 59 points, but the Jets have played one less game.
Captain Jamie Benn got his 17th goal of the season, in the sixth minute of the game.
In North Stars-turned-Stars history, Benn has edged out Neal Broten for second place in games played, with 993. Mike Modano is in first place with 1,459.
Joel Kiviranta, Ryan Suter and Tyler Seguin scored the other goals. Seguin completed in an empty net, scoring a goal in a third straight game.
It was the return to Las Vegas of Stars coach Peter DeBoer, once the pilot of the Knights. In two and a half seasons with Vegas, DeBoer posted a 98-50-12 record.
