National Hockey League
Tampa Bay 7, New Jersey 6
When: 7:00 PM ET, Wednesday, October 30, 2019
Where: Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey
Referees: Jean Hebert, Chris Schlenker
Linesmen: Travis Gawryletz, Bevan Mills
Attendance: 13152

Lightning center Tyler Johnson scored 1:16 into overtime Wednesday night, and Tampa Bay overcame a two-goal, third-period deficit to outlast the host New Jersey Devils 7-6 in a back-and-forth game.

Johnson's third shot was the charm in a flurry that opened with point-blank shots by Ondrej Palat and Ryan McDonagh.

The result snapped a two-game losing streak for the Lightning, who opened a transcontinental road trip Tuesday by falling to the New York Rangers 4-1. Tampa Bay visits the New York Islanders on Friday before playing back-to-back games against the Buffalo Sabres in Sweden on Nov. 8-9.

Palat scored twice while Alex Killorn, Brayden Point, Anthony Cirelli and Mathieu Joseph all scored once for the Lightning. Goalie Curtis McElhinney recorded 36 saves.

New Jersey's Kyle Palmieri collected a hat trick, including the goal that forced overtime with 7.4 seconds left in regulation. However, the Devils still lost for the eighth time in 10 games to open the season.

Jesper Bratt scored twice and Sami Vatanen scored once for New Jersey, which didn't win a game in which it scored at least six goals for the first time since a 6-6 tie with the St. Louis Blues on Nov. 26, 1993. Goalie Cory Schneider made 16 saves.

The Devils had a 1-0 lead and the Lightning held leads of 2-1 and 3-2 before Palmieri, Bratt and Vatanen scored during a span of 9:46 bridging the second and third periods as New Jersey went ahead 5-3.

However, the Lightning scored twice in a span of exactly five minutes to tie the game.

Cirelli received credit for the goal that pulled Tampa Bay within 5-4 at 2:45 of the third when he redirected a slap shot by Jan Rutta. The Lightning tied the game on what amounted to an own goal by the Devils when Joseph's pass into the crease ticked off the stake and stick of Taylor Hall and trickled past Schneider.

The Lightning went ahead on Palat's second goal with 3:57 left. With Schneider pulled for the extra attacker, the Devils tied the game on Palmieri's backhanded shot past McElhinney.

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
 
Tampa Bay   New Jersey
Ondrej Palat 3 Points Kyle Palmieri 3
Ondrej Palat 2 Goals Kyle Palmieri 3
Tyler Johnson 2 Assists Wayne Simmonds 3
Alex Killorn 1 Power Play Goals Kyle Palmieri 1
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Curtis McElhinney .857 Save Percentage Cory Schneider .696
Curtis McElhinney 36 Saves Cory Schneider 16
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Tampa Bay 23 7 1-1 4-5 10 22
New Jersey 42 6 1-5 0-1 2 32
Upcoming Games
  • New Jersey will play their next game at home against Philadelphia. The Devils have a W/L % of .333 after a win and .143 after a loss.
  • Tampa Bay will play their next game on the road against NY Islanders. The Lightning have a W/L % of .200 after a win and .714 after a loss.