TAMPA, Fla. – Ryan Malone scored the only goal of a shootout in the fourth round, Steven Stamkos had two goals during regulation and the Southeast Division leading Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2 on Tuesday night.
Lightning goalie Dwayne Roloson had 28 saves in regulation, and four more in the shootout for his 200th NHL win.
R.J. Umberger and Derick Brassard scored for the Blue Jackets, who were coming off a win and an overtime loss in consecutive games against Central Division-leading Detroit following a five-game losing skid. Goalie Mathieu Garon assisted on Umberger's goal and stopped 20 shots during regulation.
Tampa Bay took a 2-1 advantage when Stamkos scored his NHL-leading 35th goal of the season from the high slot during a power play at 14:24 of the second. Brassard's rebound goal made it 2-2 with 4:44 to go in the period.
Stamkos has at least one goal in three consecutive games after going six in a row without one.
Umberger put the Blue Jackets up 1-0 from the low slot 7:34 into the game. Stamkos tied it at 1 with 2:08 left in the first on a right-circle shot off a pass from defenseman Victor Hedman, who carried the puck from behind his own net to the Columbus blue line.
Stamkos' first-period goal came 62 seconds after the officials took one away from Columbus right wing Chris Clark because of incidental goalie contact.
Notes: Tampa Bay C Vincent Lecavalier played in his 900th NHL games. ... Blue Jackets captain Rick Nash had an assist, extending his point streak to five games (five assists, eight points). ... Columbus D Rostislav Klesla (illness) returned after missing one game. ... It was just the 11th game — including six in Florida — played between the teams.
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