The Tampa Bay Lightning won over the Columbus Blue Jackets Sunday to snap a three-game losing streak. Ben Bishop had 37 saves in the game and recorded a shutout in the 4-0 victory.
The Lightning is in a tight race with the Boston Bruins and the Florida Panthers in the Atlantic Division, and the win against the Blue Jackets allowed the team to stay close to first place. Steven Stamkos was key for Tampa Bay, scoring two goals and adding an assist in the victory. Stamkos had not scored in five games before pushing one past Columbus goalie Sergei Bobrovsky in the second period. Bishop kept the Lightning in the lead all night with some strong goaltending.
"I just try to stay big," Bishop said. "I've got a good team in front of me. The guys did a good job. Not many second opportunities, rebounds there."
Ondrej Palat scored a goal and had an assist, while Vladislav Namestnikov also scored in the game. Stamkos scored goal number 31 this season, and the Lightning is hoping that the forward heats up heading into the playoffs. The Lighting earned the victory against the Blue Jackets, but the roster could take a hit after Nikita Kucherov and Valtteri Filppula left with injuries.
"You go down to nine forwards in a game that was physical," said Stamkos. "It was hard-nosed. We showed a lot of character, especially in the third."
The Lightning win keeps things tight in the Atlantic Division as the playoffs get closer. The Bruins have pushed into first place, but they only have a one point lead over the Panthers and Lightning. The Detroit Red Wings are currently in fourth place in the division standings and they are the second wild card team in the east.
The Panthers will next be in action against the New York Islanders tonight, while the Bruins next play against the San Jose Sharks Tuesday. The Lightning will next play against the Toronto Maple Leafs Tuesday night, and they could finish off in first place depending on how the results play out. The Bruins have been one of the hottest teams in the league during the second half of the season, and it will be interesting to see if they can hold on to the division lead.
The Lightning made a run to the Stanley Cup finals last season, and with Stamkos playing well and Bishop performing at a high level, the team thinks it can do it again. The return of Jonathan Drouin also could give the team a boost after the organization decided not to trade him at the deadline. Drouin is currently in the AHL and could get called up.
