Steven Stamkos scored twice as the Tampa Bay Lightning recorded their first win of the season with a 5-2 victory over the host Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday.
The Lightning captain netted his second and third markers on the season in the first and third periods as the three-time Eastern Conference champions rebounded from a 3-1 loss to the Rangers in New York on Tuesday.
On a first-period power play, Corey Perry recorded the 406th goal of his career to put him into the NHL’s top 100, tying Rod Gilbert and John LeClair for 99th in all-time tallies. He also had an assist.
Ross Colton posted a goal and an assist, Cal Foote also found the net and Andrei Vasilevskiy turned away 26 shots.
Vladislav Namestnikov, Mikhail Sergachev and Alex Killorn contributed two assists apiece, while Victor Hedman played in his 900th NHL game.
For the Blue Jackets, who lost for the second time in two games, newcomer Johnny Gaudreau scored his first goal. Gus Nyquist also scored for Columbus.
After allowing four goals in Wednesday’s 4-1 loss to Carolina, Daniil Tarasov allowed five goals to get by on 39 shots.
In the pregame, full-team introductions, star right wing Patrik Laine emerged from the tunnel when his No. 29 was announced — resplendent in a fine suit and hat instead of his blue jersey – with his right arm in a sling.
Injured in the second period of Wednesday’s loss against the Carolina Hurricanes, Laine will miss 3-4 weeks.
Behind Vasilevskiy’s net just over two minutes in, Justin Danforth deftly slid a backhand pass out front to Gaudreau. The high-profile, free-agent acquisition popped in his first goal through traffic near the Lightning netminder.
Perry evened the score at 14:08 when he notched his first goal on a tap in. Stamkos put the visitors ahead 73 seconds later when his pass deflected off Columbus defenseman Adam Boqvist’s right skate and in for his second marker.
The Blue Jackets knotted it at 2 when Nyquist skated in 2-on-1 and ripped home his first tally at 15:55. But Colton added his first when he grabbed a carom off the boards three minutes later.
Foote’s goal in the second and Stamkos’ in the third rounded out the scoring.
–Field Level Media
