But coming out in a 5-4 overtime victory against the Toronto Maple Leafs after playing the day before isn’t a bad thing.
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The Lightning won their second game in a row when center Vladislav Namestnikov scored at 2:01 of overtime for a comeback 5-4 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday.
Sparks has a 3-1-0 record for the Maple Leafs with a 2.20 goals-against average and a. 921 save percentage after being called up from the American Hockey League’s Toronto Marlies.
“I’m aware of it”, Stamkos said.
“It was awesome”, Namestnikov said.
The back breaker for the Leafs and their struggling goaltender on Tuesday came in a 37-second span of the second period when Mike Blunden and Jonathan Marchessault scored to turn a 3-2 Lightning deficit into a one-goal lead. Just focus on what I can do. “I’m sure if you asked anyone if they would love to play with him, everyone would say, ‘Yeah, of course.’ He’s that good of a player”.
While Stamkos didn’t shine during the game, he was still the main attraction. Tampa Bay center Jonathan Marchessault broke his stick on a shot attempt that set up a Toronto two-on-one, and Rielly scored his fourth goal of the season at 11:34. “I know I can make a difference in this locker room and on the ice”. James van Riemsdyk leads a balanced offense with 17 points, defenseman Dion Phaneuf has notched 14 assists and Leo Komarov tops the team with 10 goals. “I just want to play better for the guys – that’s the bottom line”, Bernier told reporters.
Stamkos, who didn’t have to face the media throng in the morning because the tired Lightning had played the night before in Columbus and didn’t have a game-day skate, shrugged off the silliness after the game.
Andrei Vasilevskiy snapped personal four-game losing streak, finishing with 33 saves to pick up his first victory since November 5. Babcock pointed to the Maple Leafs’ team of sports psychologists, coaches and other resources for Bernier to work with as he rebuilds his confidence. Then the Leafs Tyler Bozak, who earlier had scored the 100th goal of his career was too soft on the puck, allowing Anton Stralman to get the Lightning back in the game with 36 seconds remaining in the second.
Blunden tied the game for the Lightning at 5:56 of the third period with his first goal of the season, cutting in front of the goal from the left wing. Shortly after the second Maple Leafs penalty expired, Toronto took a 3-1 lead. Coach Mike Babcock said it felt like three months since his team’s last game, but the Leafs took a 16-4 shot advantage in the first period and controlled the play. Kucherov split the Leafs’ defense at 2:59 of the first period for his 12th goal of the season.
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Jonathan Bernier had a rude welcome back with the Maple Leafs as he let in five goals against the Lightning. “We had run support tonight, we were unable to get it done”. “I didn’t like to see us give up that goal going into the third”. Blue-liner Frank Corrado is expected to make his season debut after sitting out since being claimed off waivers from Vancouver on October 6.OVERTIME1. The Lightning end a three-game trip when they visit the Washington Capitals on Friday.
