Martinez scores in OT, Golden Knights edge Lightning 4-3
Vegas Golden Knights' Phil Kessel (8) avoids the defense of Tampa Bay Lightning's Nick Perbix during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, March 9, 2023, in Tampa, Fla. Credit: AP/Mike Carlson
TAMPA, Fla. — Alex Martinez scored 3:09 into overtime to give the Vegas Golden Knights a 4-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night.
Jack Eichel's shot from the slot was stopped by Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy, but the puck slipped through his pads and sat in the crease as Martinez dove and poked it into the open net for the win.
William Karlsson, Chandler Stephenson and Keegan Kolesa scored for Vegas. Jonathan Quick made 34 saves as the Golden Knights defeated the Lightning for the seventh time in 10 games since Vegas entered the NHL for the 2017-18 season.
Quick earned his second victory in as many starts since Vegas acquired him from the Columbus on March 3, one day after the Blue Jackets got him in a trade with the Los Angeles Kings.
Brayden Point scored twice and Nikita Kucherov added a goal for Tampa Bay. Vasilevskiy finished with 17 saves as the Lightning slipped to 1-4-2 in their last seven games.
The Lightning trailed 3-1 before Kucherov made it a one-goal game with 2:07 remaining and then set up Point’s second of the game with 27.7 seconds left to force the extra period.
Vegas broke a 1-all tie when Karlsson scored short-handed 2:27 into the third period, then made it 3-1 on Stephenson’s power-play goal at 5:39.
Members of the Vegas Golden Knights and Tampa Bay Lightning tangle at the end of the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, March 9, 2023, in Tampa, Fla. Credit: AP/Mike Carlson
Tampa Bay allowed its 11th short-handed goal, tying them with the Vancouver Canucks and Detroit Red Wings for the most in the NHL.
The Golden Knights got off to a fast start, taking a 1-0 lead 27 seconds into the game. A bad Tampa Bay line change led to a 2-on-1 break that ended with Kolesar’s easy tap-in of Teddy Blueger’s pass.
Point tied the game and reached the 40-goal mark for the second time in his career at 4:28 when he grabbed the rebound of Kucherov’s shot and tucked it behind Quick from a bad angle. His second goal was his 41st, matching his career high in 2018-19.
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Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Jonathan Quick (32) makes a save against Tampa Bay Lightning's Ross Colton during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, March 9, 2023, in Tampa, Fla. Credit: AP/Mike Carlson
Golden Knights: At Carolina on Saturday.
Lightning: Host Chicago on Saturday.
