National Hockey League
Vegas 3, Tampa Bay 2
When: 7:00 PM ET, Saturday, January 29, 2022
Where: Amalie Arena, Tampa, Florida
Referees: Dan O'Rourke, Furman South
Linesmen: Julien Fournier, Libor Suchanek
Attendance: 19092

Mark Stone scored the game-winning goal in the bottom of the seventh round of the shootout Saturday night as the Vegas Golden Knights defeated the host Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 in their final regular-season meeting.

After a dazzling display of goaltending in the three-on-three overtime, the Golden Knights captain skated in and scored Vegas' fourth goal in the session, beating Andrei Vasilevskiy on the blocker side.

Goalie Robin Lehner (18-12-1) stopped four of the Lightning's attempts, including Pat Maroon's in the top of the seventh to set up Stone's winning tally.

Vegas improved to 6-3 in overtime. Meanwhile, the Lightning dropped to 8-6.

Lehner made 27 saves in the win, while Vasilevskiy (24-7-4) stopped 25 shots as Vegas earned a split in the two-game season series with Tampa Bay.

William Carrier and former Lightning draft pick Brett Howden each notched a goal and an assist for Vegas, which is 5-3-0 all-time against the Lightning.

Shortly before the start of the match, Vegas placed top-line center Chandler Stephenson -- its leading point-producer with 12 goals and 26 assists -- and defenseman Dylan Coghlan in COVID-19 protocol.

Corey Perry registered a goal and an assist, and Ross Colton scored. But the Lightning saw their three-game home winning streak end in losing for the second time in eight games (6-1-1).

After scoring first but losing 4-1 in South Florida to the Florida Panthers Thursday, Vegas broke the ice again in its finale of a four-game road trip (2-1-1).

A first-round draft pick (27th overall) by Tampa Bay in 2016, Howden followed up a rebound of Carrier's shot in close on Vasilevskiy and potted his sixth goal at 5:25 of the first period.

In a busy play around the Tampa Bay net with bodies in front in the second, Carrier sent a pass across the crease. The puck struck Lightning defenseman Fredrik Claesson and bounced in at 14:56 for his fifth marker and a 2-0 lead.

In the third, Vegas put together two crucial penalty kills in the first 10 minutes, allowing four shots but keeping Tampa Bay off the board.

But Colton scored just as a third power play ended at 13:12 -- his ninth tally -- to make it 2-1.

Tampa Bay pulled Vasilevskiy during a stoppage with 2:58 to play, and Perry was credited with the tying goal, his 12th, in a scrum around Lehner as the club outshot Vegas 17-1 in the period.

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
 
Vegas   Tampa Bay
William Carrier 2 Points Corey Perry 2
William Carrier 1 Goals Corey Perry 1
William Carrier 1 Assists Corey Perry 1
N/A Power Play Goals N/A
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Robin Lehner .931 Save Percentage Andrei Vasilevskiy .926
Robin Lehner 27 Saves Andrei Vasilevskiy 25
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Vegas 27 3 0-1 3-3 6 29
Tampa Bay 29 2 0-3 1-1 2 25
Upcoming Games
  • Tampa Bay will play their next game at home against San Jose. The Lightning have a W/L % of .607 after a win and .667 after a loss.
  • Vegas will play their next game at home against Buffalo. The Golden Knights have a W/L % of .560 after a win and .600 after a loss.