TAMPA, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Lightning overcame an unusual call that went against them and remained undefeated.
Brayden Point scored the game-winning goal in the sixth round of a shootout, and the Lightning beat the Florida Panthers 4-3 on Tuesday night.
Point’s goal came three rounds after it seemed Tampa Bay had won the shootout 1-0.
After Jonathan Drouin scored for the Lightning in the third round, Vincent Trocheck appeared to fan on his initial shot before sending the puck into the net for Florida. It was called no goal on the ice but the ruling was overturned following a replay review, tying the shootout at 1.
"I don’t think it’s controversy anymore because the same result happened," Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said.
The NHL said in a statement that a video review determined Trocheck kept the puck in motion toward the net before his shot attempt. According to Rule 24.2, "The puck must be kept in motion towards the opponent’s goal line and once it is shot, the play shall be considered complete."
Lightning star Steven Stamkos forced overtime when he lifted a shot from along the goal line over goalie James Reimer with 5.5 seconds left in the third period.
"There’s not many guys in the league that can do that," Cooper said. "When I say not many, you’re talking one hand."
Michael Matheson scored his first NHL goal at 15:52 of the third to give Florida a 3-2 advantage.
The Lightning also got goals from Alex Killorn and Ondrej Palat. Tampa Bay has opened the season 3-0 for the fifth time.
Colton Sceviour and Trocheck also scored for the Panthers, who were trying to win three in a row to start a season for the first time.
"It was a good game," Florida coach Gerard Gallant said. "It was a close game all the way through. I thought we did a lot of good things tonight. Overall we played real good hockey."
Trocheck got the Panthers even at 2 when he beat Ben Bishop from the low slot at 5:26 of the third.
Bishop made 28 saves. Reimer stopped 25 shots in his first game with Florida since signing a free-agent deal in the off-season to be Roberto Luongo’s backup.
"We’re real happy with the performance," Gallant said.
Palat put Tampa Bay up 2-1 on a rebound goal with 3:39 left in the second after Reimer stopped Stamkos’ tough-angle shot. Stamkos has 48 points in 41 games against Florida.
Sceviour opened the scoring at 2:38 of the second on a short-handed 2-on-1 off a pass from Derek MacKenzie.
Killorn extended his season-opening goal streak to three games and tied it 6:18 into the second.
Panthers star Jaromir Jagr has not scored a goal in his past four games, including all three this season, and remains one short of 750 in his career. He had one shot on goal.
Jagr was called for hooking 2:11 into overtime, but Tampa Bay failed to generate any scoring chances.
NOTES: Tampa Bay held a pregame ceremony to honour former captain Vincent Lecavalier, who retired after playing last season with Philadelphia and Los Angeles. Lecavalier is the Lightning’s career leader in games (1,037) and goals (383). He ranks second in points (874). … MacKenzie snapped a 10-game point drought. … Drouin had an assist. He has three assists and four points this season.
UP NEXT
Panthers: Return home to play Washington on Thursday night.
Lightning: Complete a season-opening, four-game homestand Thursday night against Colorado.
