Point starts 3-goal third, Lightning beat Blue Jackets 4-1
TAMPA, FL - DECEMBER 15: Goalie Brian Elliott #1 and Brayden Point #21 of the Tampa Bay Lightning celebrate the win against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Amalie Arena on December 15, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/NHLI via Getty Images
TAMPA, Fla. - Brayden Point extended his goal streak to five games, backup Brian Elliott made 24 saves in his seventh straight win, and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-1 on Thursday night.
Brandon Hagel had two goals for Tampa Bay, and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare also scored. Nikita Kucherov had three assists in his second consecutive game.
Tampa Bay closed out a 5-1 homestand.
Lightning captain Steve Stamkos had his 14-game point streak stopped. He holds the team record with an 18-game run in 2009-10.
Columbus' Daniil Tarasov stopped 25 shots. Kirill Marchenko scored for the Blue Jackets, who dropped to 2-7-1 on the road.
Tampa Bay went ahead to stay when Point scored his 10th goal in the last 10 games.
Hagel sent a pass into the slot that Blue Jackets defenseman Marcus Bjork deflected off Tarasov. Point picked up the loose puck and lifted Tampa Bay to a 2-1 lead at 9:02.
Hagel made it 3-1 with 6:24 remaining, and added an empty-netter.
Elliott hasn’t lost since his first start of the season on Oct. 15 against Pittsburgh.
Bellemare stopped a 32-game goal drought from the top of the left circle, putting the Lightning up 1-0 at 3:57 of the first.
Tarasov kept it a one-goal game when he grabbed the puck with his glove after it went off his pad on Kucherov’s power-play shot midway through the first. He also had a nifty glove save on Stamkos’ rebound in the second.
Marchenko tied it at 1 from the left circle 3:10 into the second. It was the rookie’s second goal in six NHL games.
NUMBERS
Tampa Bay’s fifth-ranked NHL power play went 0 for 3. The Blue Jackets, ranked 31st, failed on its lone man-advantage chance. ... Kucherov has 14 assists and 24 points in his last 11 games against the Blue Jackets.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Blue Jackets: Have seven players on injured reserve, including G Joonas Korpisalo (lower body). He missed his third straight game and is expected to be out one to two weeks. … LW Eric Robinson (illness) was scratched.
Lightning: D Mikhail Sergachev, who left late in Tuesday’s game against Seattle after taking a shot off his hand, took part in the morning skate but didn’t play.
UP NEXT
Blue Jackets: Play Saturday at Boston.
Lightning: Start a four-game trip in Montreal on Saturday night.
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