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Lightning moves one point from playoff spot with OT win vs. Red Wings (w/video)

 
Nikita Kucherov, left, puts the puck past Red Wings goalie Petr Mrazek in overtime for his 17th goal in his past 16 games.
Nikita Kucherov, left, puts the puck past Red Wings goalie Petr Mrazek in overtime for his 17th goal in his past 16 games.
Published March 25, 2017

DETROIT — The Lightning began the week with a stunning home loss to Arizona, a three-game slide putting its playoff hopes in serious jeopardy.

Defenseman Victor Hedman said the players couldn't let that break them. He vowed they wouldn't lie down.

Tampa Bay backed that up with gutsy back-to-back victories on the road, including Friday's thrilling 2-1 overtime win over the Red Wings in its final trip to Joe Louis Arena. Wing Nikita Kucherov — who else — delivered the winner, adding to his case for MVP with his 38th goal of the season.

Now the Lightning finds itself just one point behind the Islanders and Bruins for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. And though idle Tampa Bay will be three points out after today's game between Boston and New York, it still has lot of belief with eight games to go.

"Once again, people counted us out," Hedman said. "But we showed a lot of character. And we're right back in it."

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The hero was Kucherov, who added to his case for MVP with the overtime winner, his 38th goal of the season. Kucherov, who had a hat trick in Thursday's win over the Bruins, has 29 points (17 goals) in his past 16 games.

"Your best players have to be your best players," coach Jon Cooper said. "And he's a big reason why we're back in the race."

Many of the Lightning's best players arrived together in suits Friday, including injured regulars Steven Stamkos, Ryan Callahan, Tyler Johnson and, the latest, defenseman Jason Garrison, who suffered a lower-body injury Thursday. Ten players who were in the Lightning lineup for the team's previous game at Joe Louis on Nov. 15 did not play Friday.

But the Lightning found a away to win. For the second straight game, it rallied. Tampa Bay entered the third period down 1-0, but Ondrej Palat tied it five minutes in on a rebound of a Kucherov shot.

"You could just see, maybe in the past we go down and think, 'Oh, now what's going to happen to us now?' " Cooper said. "Now we've been down both these games, and guys dug their heels in. That's a really good sign."

RELATED: Nikita Kucherov is playing like a league MVP

With 90 seconds left in overtime, Kucherov and Brayden Point found themselves in the corner of the Red Wings' zone. They started a give-and-go, Kucherov taking two Red Wings with him, setting a pick on wing Henrik Zetterberg in the process.

Point waited for a passing lane as he cut in the slot, faking a shot before slipping a pass through the legs of defenseman Mike Green. The puck went right to Kucherov at the back post.

"It felt great to finish that one off," Kucherov said.

Said Palat; "It was beautiful."

It added a final chapter to the Lightning's special history in Joe Louis Arena, including back-to-back first-round playoff series. Cooper dubbed the first-round series win over Detroit in 2015 one of the most important in franchise history, sparked by a comeback in Game 4. And after another rally at the Joe on Friday, Tampa Bay put itself in better position for more postseason memories.

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"You can sit here and say, 'Every game is a must-win,' " Cooper said. "But let's be honest. If we don't come out with four points (on this trip), we're in trouble."

Instead, Tampa Bay is still in the race.

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FirstNone. PenaltiesPalat, TB, (delay of game), 4:23; Abdelkader, DET, (cross check), 17:24; Erne, TB, Major (fighting), 17:24; Athanasiou, DET, Major (fighting), 17:24; Gourde, TB, (rough), 17:24; Abdelkader, DET, (rough), 17:24; Vermin, TB, (interference), 17:24.

Second1, DET, Zetterberg 16 (Nyquist, Nielsen), 8:03. PenaltiesMantha, DET, Major (fighting), 2:33; Mantha, DET, served by Nosek, (instigator), 2:33; Mckegg, TB, Major (fighting), 2:33; Mantha, DET, Misconduct (instigator), 2:33; Erne, TB, (interference), 5:52; Dotchin, TB, (high sticking), 12:49; Stralman, TB, (tripping), 15:56; Zetterberg, DET, (hooking), 17:08.

Third2, TB, Palat 15 (Coburn, Kucherov), 5:53. PenaltiesKillorn, TB, (high sticking), 8:30; Athanasiou, DET, (holding), 13:39; Tatar, DET, (interference), 17:03.

OT3, TB, Kucherov 38 (Point), 3:28. PenaltiesNone. SOGTB 8-11-10-3—32. DET 4-18-8—30. PP oppsTB 0 of 4; DET 0 of 5. GoaliesTB, Vasilevskiy 18-16-6 (30 shots-29 saves). DET, Mrazek 16-20-8 (32-30).