Lightning 5, Avalanche 2: Rookie Tyler Johnson completed his first career hat trick with two goals in the third period as Tampa Bay pulled away from visiting Colorado for its third straight victory.

Valtteri Filppula recorded a goal and an assist while defenseman Victor Hedman notched his second straight three-assist performance for the Lightning. Blue-liner Mark Barberio also scored and Ben Bishop, who has lost in regulation only once in his last 16 decisions, turned aside 25 shots.

Defenseman Tyson Barrie, whose father Len is a former owner of the Lightning, collected a goal and an assist while John Mitchell also scored for Colorado. Sami Aittokallio, recalled from the minors earlier in the day, allowed three goals on 18 shots over the first two periods before Semyon Varlamov came on to make nine saves in the third.

The Lightning opened the scoring 7:15 into the second session, when Johnson flipped in the rebound of Hedman’s shot off the right post. Barberio’s shot deflected off the leg of a defender and squirted past Aittokallio 1:33 later, and the rebound of Filppula’s own shot went in off his leg at 18:04.

However, the Avalanche closed to within one before the end of the second on Mitchell’s deflection at 18:33 and Barrie’s shot from the slot after a scramble 30 seconds later. Johnson swept in a rebound with 5:22 left and tipped in Hedman’s blast for his third goal 2:17 afterward.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Johnson has 34 points on the season, pulling into a tie for the league lead among rookies with Colorado C Nathan MacKinnon, who notched an assist. … Colorado G Jean-Sebastien Giguere was scratched from the lineup due to a stiff back and LW Alex Tanguay sat out after returning in Friday’s game at Florida from hip and knee injuries that kept him out since Nov. 2. … Tampa Bay captain Martin St. Louis had an assist to extend his point streak to 10 games.