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Lightning's Stamkos scores 40th goal

 
Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Ondrej Palat (18) celebrates his goal against the Washington Capitals during second period action at the Amalie Arena in Tampa Saturday evening (11/01/14). On left is Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov (86)
Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Ondrej Palat (18) celebrates his goal against the Washington Capitals during second period action at the Amalie Arena in Tampa Saturday evening (11/01/14). On left is Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov (86)
Published March 21, 2015

TAMPA — C Steven Stamkos had to hustle to reach the 40-goal plateau Friday night.

With less than a minute remaining, the Red Wings, buoyed by an extra attacker, were in the Lightning zone trying to tie the score at 2. But C Brian Boyle flipped the puck out of the Tampa Bay zone toward Detroit's empty net. As Red Wings D Danny DeKeyser gave chase, Stamkos outraced him, stole the puck and put it in to seal a 3-1 win.

"I just figure I might as well give him a run for his money," Stamkos said, smiling.

It gave Stamkos his fourth 40-goal season and first since racking up 60 goals in 2011-12, when he won the Rocket Richard Trophy as the league's top goal scorer. Stamkos, having scored eight goals in his past 10 games, is second in the league behind the Capitals' Alex Ovechkin (47).

Considering Stamkos missed 45 games last season with a broken leg, bouncing back to reach 40 goals again meant something to him.

"Playing well down the stretch is something I'm really focused on … playing the right way," Stamkos said. "This year more than any is about learning from mistakes, and about leading. Obviously it's a step in the right direction the last 10, 15 games, and I'm starting to feel good."

BACK IN: LW Ondrej Palat returned to the lineup, saying the foot injury that sidelined him will not impact him going forward. It sure didn't look like it, as Palat played well, with two assists in 13 minutes, 8 seconds of ice time.

"I wouldn't play if there were some limitations," Palat said before the game. "I think I'm 100 percent ready, and I can't wait."

Neither could the Lightning, which missed Palat in the three games he sat out. Palat, a Calder Trophy finalist last season, gives a big boost to his "Triplets" line with C Tyler Johnson and RW Nikita Kucherov. "He makes that line work," coach Jon Cooper said. "So getting him back is big for us."

GETTING CLOSE: C Cedric Paquette (upper-body injury) continued to skate in a red noncontact jersey, and said he hoped to be cleared for contact today or Sunday and return next week.

"Tuesday or Thursday should be good," he said. "But we'll see."

Paquette said the injury is related to what sidelined him last month, forcing him out of the lineup again after the March 10 game in Montreal. "I just felt weird during a shift," Paquette said. "As the game was going, it got worse and worse. So after the game, I knew something was wrong."

HEAVY HEART: The hockey community mourned the loss of Halifax, Nova Scotia, sports reporter Matthew Wuest, the founder of capgeek.com, a very influential salary-tracking website. Wuest died Thursday of colon cancer.

The loss hit home to rookie LW Jonathan Drouin, who got to know Wuest while playing three seasons of juniors in Halifax.

"It's sad," Drouin said. "When I was 16 and 17, he was around a lot. He was a really nice guy. He was always happy. He really cared about the game."

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ICE CHIPS: G Ben Bishop started and had 30 saves in his 35th win this season. … D Nikita Nesterov was scratched. … With Palat back, C Mike Angelidis was returned to AHL Syracuse.