Lightning 5, Hurricanes 2: Steven Stamkos recorded a goal and an assist while Richard Panik scored his first career goal as Tampa Bay won for the sixth time in its last seven trips to Carolina.

Defenseman Marc-Andre Bergeron, Benoit Pouliot and Tom Pyatt also tallied for the Lightning, who took over first place in the Southeast Division. Mathieu Garon made 32 saves to earn his second victory – both against the Hurricanes.

Chad LaRose collected a goal and an assist and Drayson Bowman also scored for Carolina, which has lost three straight for the first time since Nov. 23-Dec. 6, 2011. Dan Ellis stopped 34 shots for the Hurricanes.

Bergeron scored his first goal since Dec. 29, 2011, snapping a shot from the top of the left faceoff circle through a screen created by Pouliot and past Ellis at 10:54 of the first period. Pouliot gave Tampa Bay a 2-0 lead 2:11 into the third, knocking home captain Vincent Lecavalier’s backhand feed across the crease.

Bowman answered 53 seconds later, but Panik made it 3-1 at 7:37 by picking up his own rebound below the right circle, flipping the puck across the crease and beating everyone to it to backhand it into the net. Pyatt converted a pass from Alexander Killorn 18 seconds later and Stamkos capped the scoring late in the session with his 12th of the season.

GAME NOTEBOOK: The Lightning are 8-0-0 when leading after the first period and 7-1-0 when scoring the first goal. … Carolina Ds Joni Pitkanen and Tim Gleason both missed their fourth straight game with lower-body injuries. LW Jeff Skinner has been out for the last three contests with a concussion. … Panik is the 18th player to score a goal for Tampa Bay in 17 games this season.