Victor Hedman gave the Lightning a 3-2 overtime win over the Chicago Blackhawks Thursday at the United Center, beating the overtime buzzer with a goal with 0.1 seconds remaining.
The Lightning’s sixth straight win also marked their first after trailing after two periods.
Hedman finished a wide-open overtime session of 3-on-3 hockey that included shots clanking off posts on both ends by sweeping around to the point and unloading a shot through a screen by Alex Killorn and past Blackhawks goalie Kevin Lankinen.
The Lightning were outplayed by an upstart Chicago team through two periods. Tampa Bay struggled to get the puck out of its defensive zone against the fleet-footed Blackhawks, let alone get some open looks on net.
It took the Lightning just three minutes into the third period to change all that as, in a flash, Tampa Bay erased a two-goal deficit, stealing momentum.
Anthony Cirelli’s second shorthanded goal of the season provided a much-needed quick spark in the third period as he tipped defenseman Jan Rutta’s puck past Lankinen 1:04 into the period.
Lightning captain Steven Stamkos scored Tampa Bay’s second goal in a 1-minute, 51-second span, getting the puck off a faceoff, juking past a charging Patrick Kane (who was looking to steal the puck) and unloading a wrister while skating across the slot.
The Lightning knew the Blackhawks team they were facing Thursday night was much different than the one they beat convincingly in the first two games of the season.
The Lightning faced the Blackhawks well before they had found their feet, and in their first meeting since the season’s first week in mid-January Tampa Bay found itself struggling to match Chicago’s speed.
The Lightning spent most of the night challenged to get the puck out of their zone, especially in a second period that saw the Blackhawks score twice.
It made for a busy night for goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, who set a new franchise record for the longest ice-time scoreless streak three minutes into the night.
But eventually, with the pressure the Blackhawks were putting on the Lightning, they were going to find a way to score on Vasilevskiy.
That chance came at an odd time, on a Lightning power play. Ryan Carpenter’s goal 7:24 into the second period was the first shorthanded goal Tampa Bay has allowed in 21 games this season.
Vasilevskiy’s scoreless streak ended after 228 minutes, nine seconds. He hadn’t allowed a goal in 11 periods.
Carpenter’s score came after Blackhawks left wing Brandon Hagel’s slap shot from the left circle bounced off Vasilevskiy and high into the air. Tampa Bay forward Pat Maroon tried to catch the puck out of the air, but it fell at Hagel’s feet in the slot, and he found Carpenter open in the left circle.
Vasilevskiy was screened on Chicago’s second goal, a Patrick Kane shot from above the circles that Alex DeBrincat deflected into the net.
The Lightning outscored the Blackhawks 10-3 in the first two games of the season. In Tampa Bay’s season-opening 5-1 win, Chicago had just 23 shots. Thursday, the Blackhawks had two goals and 27 shots in the first two periods.
