Bolts retake division lead with win over Sabres

Cedric Paquette scored with 5:41 remaining in regulation to lift the Lightning to a 5-4 come-from-behind victory over the Sabres.
In front of a high-energy crowd, the Lightning ended Buffalo's 10-game winning streak and also overtook the Sabres for first place in the Atlantic Division in the process.

The Bolts jumped out to a lead three minutes into the game, with Dan Girardi scoring off his own rebound. Carter Hutton stopped the first shot but Girardi stayed with the play and jammed the puck through on the second try.

The Sabres, who came into the game first in the Atlantic Division, struck back with two goals in just over a minute midway through the period to take the lead right back.
Alex Killorn pulled the Bolts even with his fourth goal of the year 43 seconds after Reinhart had given the Sabres the lead. After J.T. Miller drove hard to the net, the puck fell right to Killorn in the slot and he fired it past Hutton.
Tampa Bay took a 3-2 lead into the dressing room on Kucherov's 10th goal of the year. Running a 3-on-1 with Tyler Johnson and Brayden Point, Kucherov held onto the puck and shot it himself over Hutton's shoulder.
Sam Reinhart scored the lone goal of the second period and Tage Thompson scored early in the third to help the Sabres retake the lead.
For the second time, however, Tampa Bay answered back.
Less than two minutes after losing the lead, Steven Stamkos equalized for the Bolts with a one-timer on a power play.

With less than six minutes remaining in regulation, it was Cedric Paquette who scored the game-winner. After a drop feed from Mikhail Sergachev, Paquette fired a shot past Hutton from the top of the circle to give the Bolts a 5-4 lead.
With a goal and an assist, Nikita Kucherov extended his point streak to eight games. Ondrej Palat also factored into the scoring in his return to the lineup from injury, picking up the secondary assist on Paquette's goal.
Tampa Bay went 4-1-0 on the five-game homestand and now departs on a three-game road trip that begins on Saturday vs. the Panthers.
Scoring Summary
1st Period
TBL | 2:59 Dan Girardi (2) - Alex Killorn, Victor Hedman
BUF | 8:42 Zemgus Girgensons (2) - Rasmus Ristolainen, Zach Bogosian
BUF | 9:45 Sam Reinhart (4) - Jack Eichel, Zach Bogosian
TBL | 10:28 Alex Killorn (4) - J.T. Miller
TBL | 15:55 Nikita Kucherov (10) - Brayden Point, Erik Cernak
2nd Period
BUF | 5:39 Sam Reinhart (5) - Jack Eichel, Brock Nelson
3rd Period
BUF | 2:29 Tage Thompson (4) - Casey Mittelstadt
TBL | 4:12 Steven Stamkos (8) - Victor Hedman, Nikita Kucherov - PPG
TBL | 14:19 Cedric Paquette (5) - Mikhail Sergachev, Ondrej Palat