Mathieu Joseph scores in overtime, Lightning beat Kings 3-2
TAMPA, FL - DECEMBER 14: Mathieu Joseph #7 of the Tampa Bay Lightning celebrates the win against the Los Angeles Kings after overtime at Amalie Arena on December 14, 2021 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mark LoMoglio/NHLI via Getty Images)
TAMPA, Fla. - Mathieu Joseph scored with 1:35 left in overtime to give the Tampa Bay Lightning a 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday night.
Tampa Bay's Andrei Vasilevskiy made 28 saves to win his 62nd game in 2021 regular-season and playoff games, tying Marc-Andre Fleury's 2009 NHL record for a calendar year set with Pittsburgh.
Victor Hedman and Taylor Raddysh also scored for the Lightning. Steven Stamkos had an assist and moved within a point of becoming the 118th player to reach 900 points.
Drew Doughty and Viktor Arvidsson scored, and Jonathan Quick stopped 27 shots for the Kings.
After both teams had several great scoring chances in overtime, Joseph had his shot from the right circle trickle past Quick.
Quick made a nifty post-to-post save in the first on Ondrej Palat, and stopped Stamkos during breakaways in the second and third periods.
Vasilevskiy stymied Adrian Kempe on a breakaway in the game’s opening minute.
Arvidsson put the Kings up 2-1 when Matt Roy’s shot went off his back and past Vasilevskiy 30 seconds into the second.
Raddysh’s redirection made it 2-2 at 14:19 of the second.
Doughty scored a power-play goal midway through the first, before Hedman tied it on a delayed-penalty call with 1:59 left in the period.
Tampa Bay went 0 for 3 against a Kings' road penalty kill, which was last in the NHL entering the game. Los Angeles converted one of two man-advantage chances.
POINT AND MORE
Tampa Bay C Brayden Point (upper body, 12 games) resumed practicing this week in a non-contact jersey.
When asked if Point could be back before Dec. 25, Lightning coach Jon Cooper said "that would be a Christmas present."
Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov (lower-body, 25 games) is skating with coaches, but won’t return until the new year.
NUMBERS
C Anze Kopitar had an assist, moving him within one of trying Wayne Gretzky (672) for the second-most in Kings history. … The Lightning have allowed five power-play goals over their last three game. … Doughty has 68 career power-play goals. Among Los Angeles defenseman, only Rob Blake, with 92, has more.
UP NEXT
Kings: Play Thursday night at Florida.
Lightning: Host Ottawa on Thursday night.
___
More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports