Lightning 3, Hurricanes 2 (OT): Defenseman Radko Gudas scored 2:16 into overtime as Tampa Bay rallied to beat visiting Carolina for its fourth consecutive victory.
After making a big hit on Carolinaâ??s Jeff Skinner, Gudas carried the puck down the right wing on a 2-on-1 before hammering a shot into the right corner of the net. Victor Hedman had a goal and an assist, captain Martin St. Louis scored his 15th and Ben Bishop had 25 saves for the Lightning.
Jiri Tlusty, who had gone seven games without a point, scored twice as Carolina lost for the fifth time in six games (1-2-3). Justin Peters turned aside 47 shots, one shy of his career best, for the Hurricanes.
Tlusty gave the Hurricanes a lead 4:35 into the contest, whipping a shot from the high slot through a crowd that beat Bishop glove side. The Lightning had a 19-8 edge in shots in the opening session and tied it when Hedman roofed a shot from the bottom of the left circle after a pass from Valtteri Filppula (two assists) at 16:12.
Tampa Bay put up 13 more shots in the middle period and Peters stopped them all while Eric Staal sprung Tlusty for a shorthanded tally at 10:11. Peters valiantly held the lead until St. Louis tipped in Hedmanâ??s blast at 7:56 of the third on the Lightningâ??s fifth power play chance.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Carolina now leads the league in shorthanded goals with seven and it was Tlustyâ??s first while down a man in his career. â? Tampa Bay F Tom Pyatt returned to the lineup for the first time since Oct. 8 after missing 32 games with a shoulder injury and B.J. Crombeen was scratched. â? Lightning D Eric Brewer left the game with an upper-body injury in the second period and did not return.
