Cirelli, Lightning top Ducks in OT, extend point streak to 7

ANAHEIM -- Anthony Cirelli scored on a breakaway 59 seconds into overtime, and the Tampa Bay Lightning extended their point streak to seven games with a 3-2 victory against the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center on Sunday.

Anaheim first had a 3-on-2 rush in overtime, but when Mason McTavish tried to drop a pass for a trailing Cam Fowler, the puck slid behind him, setting up Cirelli on a 2-on-0 breakaway with Brandon Hagel. Cirelli gave the puck up to Hagel before getting it back and scoring over Lukas Dostal's glove.

"Obviously, they had a little missed pass there and I got it," Cirelli said. "I started going up the ice and I saw ‘Hags’ out of the corner of my eye and I thought I'd give it to him and make him make a play, and it was fortunate that it went in.”

Anthony Duclair and Luke Glendening scored for the Lightning (39-25-7), who were coming off a 4-3 overtime loss at the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday but are 6-0-1 during their point streak. Jonas Johansson made 30 saves in his first start since Feb. 25.

Tampa Bay played without forward Brayden Point and defenseman Victor Hedman, who are day-to-day after sustaining lower-body injuries against the Kings.

The Lightning remained six points ahead of the Washington Capitals for the first wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference. They also pulled to within four points of the Toronto Maple Leafs for third in the Atlantic Division.

Ross Johnston scored his first NHL goal in nearly two years, and Dostal made 24 saves for the Ducks (24-43-4), who have lost eight of nine (1-7-1).

"Tampa is at the end of a road trip, they played last night, they don't have Hedman, they don't have Point, so it's an opportunity for us to get a point or two," Anaheim coach Greg Cronin said. "First time in how long we had the same lineup in back-to-back games. I think when you have that you're able to build some chemistry and some rhythm."

Johnston gave Anaheim a 1-0 lead at 13:49 of the first period, poking in a centering pass from Jakob Silfverberg. It was his first goal since April 24, 2022.

“Our line has a job and that’s to hound pucks," Johnston said. "Sometimes you get rewarded. Sometimes, there’s some chilly streaks where you don’t get rewarded, and that’s what I was in. Nice to put one in.”

Duclair tied it 1-1 at 7:50 of the second period when his shot from the right circle hit Dostal in the midsection and fell across the goal line. The goal came after the Lightning killed a 5-on-3 power play that lasted 1:02.

Duclair has at least one point in all seven games (five goals, four assists) for the Lightning since he was acquired in a trade with the San Jose Sharks on March 7.

"Since the Trade Deadline, we've really turned the corner," Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said. "Duclair and (Matt) Dumba have come in and really given our team a little life. Great guys in the room, but we're just playing better."

Glendening gave the Lightning a 2-1 lead at 17:00 of the second, scoring on a rebound after forcing a turnover by Anaheim defenseman Urho Vaakanainen.

Pavel Mintyukov tied it 2-2 at 2:36 of the third period with a wrist shot off the rush.

Tampa Bay went 4-for-4 on the penalty kill.

"We had a really strong penalty kill all game tonight, especially there in the second period," Johansson said. "Great effort by all the guys out there blocking shots and doing the work, so that's key in these tight games here, to get that done."

NOTES: Tampa Bay forward Nikita Kucherov had his 13-game point streak (five goals, 24 assists) end. ... Lightning forward Steven Stamkos had his season-long eight-game point streak (five goals, nine assists) end. ... Ducks goalie John Gibson missed the game for personal reasons. Anaheim recalled Alex Stalock from San Diego of the American Hockey League to back up Dostal. ... Anaheim forward Trevor Zegras was a game-time decision but missed his 31st straight game since sustaining a broken ankle on Jan 9.