Tampa, FL (SportsNetwork.com) - Jason Garrison's early third-period goal lifted the Tampa Bay Lightning over the Washington Capitals, 4-3, on Saturday.
Nikita Kucherov, Ondrej Palat and Ryan Callahan also lit the lamp for the Lightning, who have won three in a row. Callahan returned to the lineup after missing five games with a lower-body injury.
Ben Bishop stopped 35-of-38 shots in the victory.
"We were pretty loose on defense tonight, probably as loose as we've been all season," Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. "We needed some big saves and we did the most with our chances on offense."
Marcus Johansson, Eric Fehr and Troy Brouwer scored for the Capitals, who have dropped three straight. Alex Ovechkin, who had been held without a point in five straight games, had one assist.
"Last couple of games we've played good hockey and haven't gotten the results," Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom said. "You have to battle through it and we have a new game tomorrow. Sometimes that's hockey, it's important that we stick together as a group."
Braden Holtby made 24 saves in defeat.
Garrison's go-ahead score came after Steven Stamkos won a faceoff in the offensive zone. The defenseman sent a slap shot past Holtby at the 2:27 mark of the third period.
Earlier, the Lightning drew first blood at the 6:06 mark of the first period. Callahan redirected Brian Boyle's pass between Holtby's pads.
Ovechkin ended the longest point drought of his career at 12:59 when he assisted on Johansson's goal. The Russian superstar managed to put the puck on net while being tripped, and Johansson was there to put home the rebound.
Fehr gathered his own rebound off the end boards and beat Bishop at the 2:11 mark of the second stanza.
Tampa Bay tied things up at 9:29 when Palat scored off Kucherov's pass from behind the net. Kucherov then tipped Eric Brewer's blast past Holtby to give the Lightning the lead.
Brouwer's power-play goal made it 3-3 with 59 seconds left in the second. Johansson controlled the puck at the side of the net before finding Brouwer in the slot.
Game Notes
Lightning center Alex Killorn left the game with an upper-body injury ... The Capitals play at home against the Arizona Coyotes on Sunday, while the Lightning are off until Thursday when they play the Flames.
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