Johnson’s hat trick helps Lightning prevail in NHL

Jake Dotchin netted his third goal of the season with just over 10 minutes left in regulation to break a deadlock, and Tyler Johnson’s hat-trick tally minutes later served as the game-winner as the Tampa Bay Lightning claimed a 5-4 home win over the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday night.

The Lightning needed both goals to close out the see-saw affair, as the visitors nearly completed a late comeback.

Johnson posted the first three-goal game of the season for a Tampa Bay player, even though the high-flying Lightning sit atop the league standings and boast the NHL’s most potent attack.

Brayden Point had three assists for the Lightning, who also got a goal and an assist from Victor Hedman. Brock McGinn, Sebastian Aho, Justin Faulk and Elias Lindholm scored for Carolina.

In other NHL action, Pekka Rinne stopped 25 shots as the Nashville Predators edged the visiting Edmonton Oilers 2-1 for their 11th consecutive win against the Oilers and Rinne’s 10th straight victory against them, dating back to March 18, 2014.

The Predators won their second straight game before going into a five-day break. Edmonton absorbed its seventh defeat in eight games and has managed just four goals in its past six games.

Meanwhile, Dougie Hamilton scored the winning goal for the second straight game as Calgary beat the host Minnesota Wild 3-2 in overtime, giving the Flames their first four-game winning streak of the season.

Johnny Gaudreau assisted on all three goals, including Hamilton’s winner, for a Flames team that recovered from blowing a two-goal, third-period lead. Micheal Ferland and Sean Monahan also scored for Calgary.

Also, the Florida Panthers scored three consecutive second-period goals – all in a span of 4:14 – to defeat the host St. Louis Blues 7-4, Nick Schmaltz and Jonathan Toews each scored two goals and Patrick Kane doled out four assists in a five-goal second period as the visiting Chicago Blackhawks routed the Ottawa Senators 8-2, while Kyle Connor finished with two goals and one assist and Nikolaj Ehlers scored twice as the Winnipeg Jets earned a 7-4 conquest of the host Buffalo Sabres, who got two goals and an assist from Jack Eichel.