Lightning pulls away against Blue Jackets

TAMPA -- Steven Stamkos had a hat trick and an assist for the Tampa Bay Lightning in a 5-2 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Amalie Arena on Tuesday.

It was the second hat trick this season for Stamkos, who extended his goal streak to six games (10 goals).

"He's just a goal-scorer. It feels like he's always streaking," Lightning forward Brandon Hagel said. "He doesn't have too many stretches where he's not scoring, and when he does he finds a way to put six or seven together in a matter of no time."

Brayden Point and Anthony Cirelli also scored, and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 30 saves for the Lightning (44-27-7), who are 11-2-1 in their past 14 games. Nikita Kucherov had three assists, his fourth straight three-point game.

Tampa Bay currently holds the first wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference and is six points behind the Toronto Maple Leafs for third in the Atlantic Division.

"On our side of things, it's just making sure there are little details in our game that we're looking after," Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. "It's just imperative that we don't slip. This league has so much parity and there's such a fine line between winning and losing."

Kirill Marchenko scored twice for the Blue Jackets (26-41-12), who have lost three of four. Jet Greaves made 28 saves.

"Collectively we played really well," Columbus coach Pascal Vincent said. "We didn't finish around the net, but we played in all three zones and we didn't give much. That's a team that has won the Stanley Cup recently. They can make plays with no room. They created their chances and when they did they were able to finish."

Point gave Tampa Bay a 1-0 lead at 16:31 of the first period, scoring with a one-timer from the bottom of the left circle off a spinning cross-ice pass from Kucherov.

Marchenko tied it 1-1 at 19:17 with a shot from the edge of the left circle that deflected off of Vasilevskiy's glove and into the net.

Marchenko then gave Columbus a 2-1 lead with a power-play goal at 7:13 of the second period. He skated through the neutral zone and into the high slot before beating Vasilevskiy glove side again with a wrist shot.

"[Scoring twice on Vasilevskiy] gives me a little confidence. He is a great goalie," said Marchenko, who has scored a career-high 23 goals this season. "If we win this game, it's more confidence for our team. It's good confidence for me. ... I've tried to shoot the puck all season."

Stamkos tied it 2-2 with a power-play goal at 14:17 of the second, scoring with a one-timer from the bottom of the left circle off another pass from Kucherov.

Cirelli put Tampa Bay ahead 3-2 at 5:40 of the third period when he buried the rebound of Hagel's shot with his backhand.

"I thought we worked hard for two periods, and they found a way to get a little momentum there early in the third. Scored two big goals and took the lead on us," Blue Jackets forward Johnny Gaudreau said. "I thought we did a good job and we worked hard in their offensive zone. We had some good looks throughout the game but ended up losing."

Stamkos scored 16 seconds later with a one-timer from the high slot to make it 4-2 at 5:56. He then completed the hat trick with an empty-net goal at 17:57 for the 5-2 final.

"It was one of those games where, maybe this time of the year, it lacked a little emotion," Stamkos said. "I thought we kind of went through the motions in the first and the second. ... (A) little spark in the third. We needed that and we talked about it."

Kucherov leads the NHL with 139 points this season, including 96 assists, which is second in the League behind Connor McDavid (99). Only three players have ever had at least 100 assists in a season: Wayne Gretzky (11 times), Mario Lemieux (1988-89) and Bobby Orr (1970-71).

"I think it's a rarity in this league. Only three players have done it, and there's a chance that two guys might do it in the same season," Cooper said. "That's pretty remarkable. There's still a ways to go here. Hopefully it happens for him. We're all pulling for him."

NOTES: Kucherov has 16 points (two goals, 14 assists) during a seven-game point streak. ... Blue Jackets forward Alexander Nylander was a late scratch because of a lower-body injury, and forward Carson Meyer left the game in the first period because of an upper-body injury. ... Vasilevskiy won his 30th game, the seventh straight season he's reached the mark. ... Marchenko has scored five goals in his past six games. ... Cirelli has an NHL career-high 20 goals this season.