Cirelli’s goal leads Lightning by Capitals
TAMPA, Fla. – Andrei Vasilevskiy made 31 saves, Anthony Cirelli had a goal and two assists, and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat Washington 3-2 Monday night, ending the Capitals’ eight-game season-opening point streak.
Tampa Bay also got goals from Alex Killorn and Brayden Point. Taylor Raddysh picked up his first NHL point, coming in his eighth game, by assisting on Point’s goal
Brett Leason got his first NHL goal and Conor Sheary also scored for the the Capitals, who came in 5-0-3. Vitek Vanecek stopped 23 shots.
Washington star Alex Ovechkin had his season-opening eight-game point streak (nine goals, six assists) end. He remains two goals away from tying Brett Hull (741) for fourth place all-time.
Ovechkin had a shot on goal and two more attempts from the top of the left circle blocked by Erik Cernak during a late first-period power play. He had a drive from the left circle during a 2-on-1 midway through the second stopped by Vasilevskiy.
Killorn and Cirelli had second-period goals as Tampa Bay took a 2-1 lead. Point put the the Lightning ahead 3-1 at 2:56 of the third.
Sheary’s power-play goal got Washington to 3-2 with 8:22 left.
Leason scored 1:13 into the game when his shot from the right wing boards was redirected past Vasilevskiy off Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman’s stick. It came in his second game.
Vasilevskiy went post-to-post to make a nifty stop on Tom Wilson in the opening minute of the second period before Killorn tied it at 3:18 to extend his goal streak to four games.
Cirelli made it 2-1 during a 5-on-3 power play at 8:40.