Stamkos, Palat help Lightning top Senators, extend point streak to five

Combine for five points; Tkachuk scores in first game as Ottawa captain

by Callum Fraser / NHL.com Independent Correspondent

OTTAWA — Steven Stamkos had a goal and an assist for the Tampa Bay Lightning in a 5-3 win against the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre on Saturday.

Stamkos broke a 2-2 tie at 7:32 of the third when he controlled a rebound at the edge of the crease, outwaited Senators goaltender Matt Murray, and scored into an open net

Ondrej Palat had a goal and two assists, and Brian Elliott made 24 saves for the Lightning (6-3-2), who extended their point streak to five games (4-0-1).

Brady Tkachuk, Connor Brown and Logan Shaw scored, and Murray made 28 saves for the Senators (3-7-1), who have lost four in a row (0-3-1), allowing five goals in each game.

Victor Hedman scored his first of the season when his point shot deflected in off Senators defenseman Josh Brown on the power play to give the Lightning a 1-0 at 4:27 of the first period.

Brown intercepted a pass from Lightning defenseman Cal Foote and scored with a snap shot to tie it 1-1 at 1:39 of the second.

Tampa Bay appeared to take a 2-1 lead at 5:16 when Mathieu Joseph scored at the edge of the crease, but it was waived off because of goalie interference. The Lightning used a coach’s challenge and the call on the ice was upheld. Tampa Bay was assessed a minor penalty for delay of game.

Jan Rutta gave the Lightning a 2-1 lead at 10:06 of the second when he beat Murry glove side with a wrist shot.

Tkachuk one-timed a cross-ice pass from Drake Batherson on a 2-on-1 to tie it 2-2 with 43 seconds remaining in the period. It was Tkachuk’s first game since he was named Senators captain on Friday.

Nick Paul nearly tied it when his shot hit the crossbar with 3:18 remaining in the third period.

Palat scored five-hole on a breakaway to make it 4-2 less than two minutes with 1:41 left. Anthony Cirelli scored into an empty net to make it 5-2 with 34 seconds remaining.

Shaw tipped a point shot to make it 5-3 with 16 seconds remaining.

Lightning defenseman Mikhail Sergachev served the first game of a two-game suspension for an illegal check to the head of Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitchell Marner in a 2-1 overtime loss Thursday.