TAMPA, Fla. — A struggling opponent with an inexperienced goaltender proved to be the right combination for the Lightning on Thursday night.
Tampa Bay jumped on an outmatched Arizona team from the start — both physically and on the scoreboard — in a 5-1 win at Amalie Arena, scoring three goals in the first 11 minutes.
Alex Killorn scored two first-period goals within 2:01 of each other to give the Lightning an early cushion, and Steven Stamkos, who assisted on Killorn’s first goal, snapped the Lightning’s power-play drought with a score that put the Lightning up 3-0 heading to the first intermission.
The Coyotes, one of just two teams that remain winless two weeks into the season, gave 22-year-old goaltender Ivan Prosvetov his second career NHL start. And while Prosvetov struggled, his teammates didn’t help him as he had to defend numerous Lightning breakaways.
After being outscored 26-16 in their first six games, the Lightning have outscored opponents 10-2 in their past two, both regulation wins.
When the Lightning have struggled, coach Jon Cooper has wanted more urgency from his players, especially after falling behind in each of their first six contests forced them to chase games.
The Lightning showed that urgency in the first period Thursday.
Forward Pat Maroon dropped his gloves following the opening faceoff, fighting Arizona forward Liam O’Brien five seconds into the game. Maroon also scrapped with forward Lawson Crouse after Crouse put a questionable check on linemate Corey Perry along the near-side boards.
Both Killorn goals were created by aggressiveness at the Lightning’s blue line.
Stamkos scooped up a puck in the high slot in the Tampa Bay zone and sped up ice, creating a 2-on-1 with Killorn that became a 3-on-1 with Victor Hedman trailing. Entering the Arizona zone with open ice, Stamkos fed Killorn, who rifled a wrister from the left circle past Prosvetov 5:39 into the game.
Killorn then took advantage of a mishandled puck by Coyotes defenseman Dysin Mayo at the blue line, creating his own breakaway, just over two minutes later. He showed some patience as he closed in on goal by faking a forehand shot before beating Prosvetov with a backhander.
The Lightning ended an 0-for-15 power-play drought on Stamkos’ goal with 9:19 left in the period.
On Tampa Bay’s second power play, Stamkos went to the net and swatted Hedman’s pass. Prosvetov stopped Stamkos’ first attempt, but the puck slid underneath his pads. Stamkos made a heady backhanded flip from behind the net before the goaltender could cut off the post, and the puck deflected off Prosvetov into the net.
Right after Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped Crouse’s backhanded breakaway chance, the Lightning moved the puck up ice quickly off the ensuing faceoff. Defenseman Mikhail Sergachev corralled the puck at the blue line and found Alex Barre-Boulet going to the net, feeding him for a redirect inside the far post with 6:22 left in the second period.
Vasilevskiy’s shutout attempt was ended when Crouse’s shot off the crossbar with 7:24 remaining was ruled a goal following a video review. Vasilevskiy finished with 24 saves.
Andrej Sustr scored with 1:37 left to extend the Lightning’s lead to 5-1.
Maroon, who received a 10-minute misconduct for his second fight, served 24 penalty minutes on the night.
