By Canadian Press

Brady Tkachuk scores the only goal of the shootout as Ottawa beats Tampa Bay 3-2

Apr 11, 2024 | 7:33 PM

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Brady Tkachuk had a goal and an assist in regulation and scored the only goal of the shootout as the Ottawa Senators beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 on Thursday night.

NHL points leader Nikita Kucherov had two assists for the Lightning to give him 98 this season as he looks to join Wayne Gretzky (11 times), Mario Lemieux (once) and Bobby Orr (once) as the only players with 100 or more assists in a season. The right winger has an eight-game point streak and 141 points this season.

Drake Batherson also scored for the Senators, who have missed the postseason seven consecutive seasons. Anton Forsberg stopped 24 shots.

The Lightning have the first Eastern Conference wild card secured and are five points behind Toronto for third place in the Atlantic Division. Toronto lost 6-5 to New Jersey on Thursday night.

“When you look in the standings, (we) can’t go down and probably not going up, either,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. “So, we’re kind of in our slot. This is all about preparation of getting our game in order, our team in order, and our mindset in order.”

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Tampa Bay got goals from Conor Sheary and Brayden Point.

Tampa Bay rested starting goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy and Matt Tomkins made 25 saves in his fifth game of the season.

Batherson tied it at 2 early in the third.

After Tkachuk opened the scoring with his career-high tying 35th goal, Kucherov assisted on goals by Sheary and Point as Tampa Bay took a 2-1 first-period lead.

Sheary, a healthy scratch in six of the seven previous games, also had an assist.

Ottawa center Tim Stützle, tied with Tkachuk for the team points lead with 70, missed his fourth straight game with an upper-body injury.

Tampa Bay forward Tyler Motte left midway through the second after taking a shot off the side of his right foot and did not return. Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak also departed in the second when he took a shot off his right foot, but returned in the third.

Lightning captain Steven Stamkos’ six-game goal streak ended.

Tampa Bay defenseman Victor Hedman received a two-minute hooking penalty and a 10-man misconduct at the end of the second.

UP NEXT

Senators: Host Montreal on Saturday night in their home finale.

Lightning: Play at Washington on Saturday night.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Mark Didtler, The Associated Press