Recap: Lightning 5, Blue Jackets 2

After a slow start, a pair of goals within 20 seconds of each other in the third period heated things up for the Bolts and guided them to a 5-2 victory over the Blue Jackets on Tuesday at AMALIE Arena.

Steven Stamkos completed a hat trick notching 39 goals on the season, and continuing a six-game heater.

After missing Saturday’s game due to injury, Anthony Cirelli returned to the lineup and scored his 20^th of the season.

Tampa Bay continues this quick home stand with a matchup against the Ottawa Senators on Thursday.

Scoring Summary

1^st Period

TBL 1, CBJ 0
16:31 Brayden Point (44) – Nikita Kucherov, Anthony Duclair
Anthony Duclair broke the puck into the offensive zone and quickly played it to Nikita Kucherov at the right point. Kucherov’s turning pass found Brayden Point at the crease and he buried one past Jet Greaves to put the Bolts on the board.

TBL 1, CBJ 1
19:17 Kirill Marchenko (22) – Cole Sillinger, Damon Severson
Blue Jackets tied the game in the final minute of the first frame. Damon Severson played the puck to Cole Sillinger who was entering the Bolts’ zone. Sillinger dropped the puck back for Kirill Marchenko who took a shot on his way to the net and beat Andrei Vasilevskiy glove side.

2^nd Period

CBJ 2, TBL 1
7:13 Kirill Marchenko (23) – Johnny Gaudreau, Zach Werenski - PPG
The Bolts were faced with back-to-back penalties as Brandon Hagel stepped out of the penalty box just a little too soon and were dealt a bench minor for too many men on the ice. Johnny Gaudreau left the puck for Kirill Marchenko in the neutral zone, he grabbed it and skated to the high slot and beat Vasilevskiy.

CBJ 2, TBL 2
14:17 Steven Stamkos (37) – Nikita Kucherov, Victor Hedman – PPG
Damon Severson was whistled for hooking, sending the Bolts to a one-man advantage. Victor Hedman gathered the puck at the blue line and played it down the Nikita Kucherov at the right point. Kucherov crossed the ice to Steven Stamkos, and he hammered home a one-timer to tie the game.

3^rd Period

TBL 3, CBJ 2
5:40 Anthony Cirelli (20) – Brandon Hagel, Steven Stamkos
From the far wall, Steven Stamkos tossed the puck up to Brandon Hagel in the slot. Hagel’s shot on goal went off the pads of Greaves, but Anthony Cirelli was there to grab the rebound and backhand into the Blue Jacket’s twine.

TBL 4, CBJ 2
5:56 Steven Stamkos (38) – Brandon Hagel, Erik Cernak
Less than 20 seconds after regaining the lead, Tampa Bay put Columbus in a two-goal hole. From behind the Blue Jackets crease, Brandon Hagel played the puck up the middle to Steven Stamkos whose one-timer beat Jet Greaves blocker side.

TBL 5, CBJ 2
17:57 Steven Stamkos (39) – Nikita Kucherov
Columbus pulled Jet Greaves for the extra attacker with just over two minutes left in regulation. Steven Stamkos grabbed a mishandled puck and skated it through the neutral zone to reach the back of the empty net to complete his hat trick.