{{pageModel.leagueAbbr}} {{pageModel.subtitle}} | Las Vegas Review-Journal
National Hockey League
Tampa Bay 4, Pittsburgh 2
When: 12:30 PM ET, Saturday, February 20, 2016
Where: Consol Energy Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Referees: Eric Furlatt, Mike Leggo
Linesmen: Scott Driscoll, Andy McElman
Attendance: 18643

PITTSBURGH -- Steven Stamkos' 300th goal and Matthew Carle's first in more than a year added up to Tampa Bay Lightning regular-season win No. 1 in an arena that has long frustrated them.

Carle had a goal and an assist after going without a point all season and the Lightning finished off a season sweep of Pittsburgh, beating the Penguins 4-2 on Saturday.

Defenseman Anton Stralman and centers Tyler Johnson and Stamkos also scored, and goalie Ben Wilson made 37 saves as the Lightning went 3-0 against the Penguins, outscoring them 15-9 during their first such sweep since the 2006-07 season.

Tampa Bay won for the first time during the regular season in Consol Energy Center, which opened in 2010, and ended a nine-game losing streak in Pittsburgh that dated to March 31, 2010. They did win in Consol three times in a 2011 playoff series.

"Other than the playoffs, we've had a tough time in this building," Stamkos said. "We had talks in the room about playing the right way, and I thought we did."

The 26-year-old Stamkos scored his 300th goal in 550 career games to give the Lightning a 2-0 lead in the second period against the Penguins, who lost for only the second time in nine home games (7-1-1).

"It's pretty special -- first of all, it means I've been around for a while and, second, I've been fortunate with play with some good players," Stamkos said.

"It was special coming in a big win. ... It's nice to get it out of the way."

The Lightning overcame the first career goal by Penguins left winger Tom Kuhnhackl and the second by Scott Wilson to win for only the third time in seven games.

The Penguins fell two points behind the Lightning for the Eastern Conference's first wild-card playoff spot.

"You look at the standings and you know how important a game it was for both teams," Carle said.

Stralman scored his ninth goal of the season and Stamkos scored his 24th only 2:12 apart midway through the first period against Penguins backup goalie Jeff Zatkoff (16 saves), who started because Marc-Andre Fleury was sick upon arriving for the game.

"It (the goalie switch) doesn't change anything," Penguins captain Sidney Crosby said. "We were just a little slow to the gates."

Stralman beat Zatkoff with a wrist shot from above the right circle that the goalie did not appear to see. Stamkos scored his first in the last six games against Pittsburgh by knocking in center Alex Killorn's deflected shot. Carle got the second assist on the Stamkos goal.

Carle, who went scoreless in his first 41 games, made it 3-0 on an unassisted goal early in the second period with a wrist shot from the blue line created by Penguins defenseman Kris Letang's giveaway.

Carle, who played in his 700th career NHL game on Tuesday, did not have a goal in 61 games since Dec. 31, 2014, or an assist in 41 games since April 11. He also did not have a multiple-point game since Dec. 13, 2014.

Asked if he thought about his 0-0-0 scoreline for the season before Saturday, Carle said: "A little bit here and there, but you try to focus on playing the game the right way. As a defenseman, those kind of things will come and go."

Kuhnhackl, playing in his 17th game, matched Carle's unassisted goal by scoring on a short-handed breakaway against Bishop at 5:35 of the second. But Johnson restored Tampa Bay's three-goal lead slightly more than six minutes later by tapping in left winger Ondrej Palat's pass from the blue line.

Later in the second, Wilson, who scored his first NHL goal Thursday against Detroit, got his second in as many games with the teams skating 4-on-4.

But Pittsburgh couldn't score during a two-man advantage lasting 1:08 late in the period.

"That was a big moment for us," Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. "If we score in that circumstance, we're down one and we're one shot away."

The Penguins, playing their eighth consecutive game without star center Evgeni Malkin (undisclosed injury) also played the third period without defenseman Ben Lovejoy (upper body injury).

NOTES: Penguins coach Mike Sullivan isn't certain whether goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury will start Sunday afternoon in Buffalo. Defenseman Ben Lovejoy definitely won't play. ... Tampa Bay G Ben Bishop could start again Sunday at Carolina. ... Tampa Bay is playing six of seven on the road after playing 11 of 14 at home. ... Sullivan kept RW Phil Kessel on C Sidney Crosby's No. 1 line, a move also made Thursday against the Detroit Red Wings. The top star forwards had not played regular shifts on the same line since October. ... Lightning C Vladislav Namestnikov returned after sitting out two games with an upper body injury and assisted on Stralman’s goal. ... The Lightning played for the first time since blowing a three-goal lead in the third period of a 6-5 victory Thursday over the Winnipeg Jets, prompting the players to hold a team meeting. ... Tampa Bay scratched RW Erik Condra and D Nikita Nesterov. ... Pittsburgh held out D Ian Cole and LW Sergei Plotnikov.
Top Game Performances
 
Tampa Bay   Pittsburgh
Matt Carle 2 Points Tom Kuhnhackl 1
Matt Carle 1 Goals Tom Kuhnhackl 1
Jonathan Marchessault 2 Assists Kris Letang 1
N/A Power Play Goals N/A
N/A Short Handed Goals Tom Kuhnhackl 1
Ben Bishop .949 Save Percentage Jeff Zatkoff .800
Ben Bishop 37 Saves Jeff Zatkoff 16
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Tampa Bay 20 4 0-5 4-4 14 22
Pittsburgh 39 2 0-4 5-5 16 40
Upcoming Games
  • Pittsburgh will play their next game on the road against Buffalo. The Penguins have a W/L % of .483 after a win and .536 after a loss.
  • Tampa Bay will play their next game on the road against Carolina. The Lightning have a W/L % of .500 after a win and .615 after a loss.