Johnson rallies Lightning in 3rd for 5-2 win over Blackhawks

By MATT CARLSON
Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) -- Tyler Johnson scored two goals 30 seconds apart early in the third period, leading the Tampa Bay Lightning past the Chicago Blackhawks 5-2 on Tuesday night to end a three-game slide.

Brian Boyle had a goal and an assist, and Nikita Nesterov and Nikita Kucherov also scored for the Lightning, who broke loose for three goals in a 3:57 span of the third to erase a 2-1 deficit.

Alex Killorn set up both of Johnson's goals, and Valtteri Filppula had two assists to help Tampa Bay win for just the third time in 11 games.

Jonathan Toews had a goal and an assist, and Duncan Keith also scored for the Blackhawks, who had their three-game winning streak stopped. Chicago lost for only the third time in its last 10.

Tampa Bay's Andrei Vasilevskiy made 34 saves, getting the start after he relieved Ben Bishop for the third period of the Lightning's 5-3 loss at Arizona on Sunday.

Chicago's Corey Crawford blocked 31 shots.

After Nesterov tied it 2-all off a faceoff 2:47 into the third, Johnson put Tampa Bay ahead for the first time at 6:14. He beat Crawford with a rising shot from the right circle after taking Killorn's feed.

Johnson made it 4-2 at 6:44 from the edge of the crease with his 15th goal after Killorn's pass from behind the net. Killorn had fired wide, then retrieved the puck and dished in front.

Kucherov added an empty-netter - his team-leading 18th goal - with 2:05 left.

Toews stayed hot after getting the game-winning goal and three assists Sunday in a 4-2 victory over Vancouver. In his previous six games, the Blackhawks' captain had just two assists.

Sharp goaltending at both ends limited the score to 1-1 after a freewheeling first period filled with chances.

Toews opened the scoring at 10:23, completing a cross-ice give-and-go with Richard Panik. Toews got to the edge of the crease and tipped in Panik's feed after slipping behind Lightning star defenseman Victor Hedman.

Boyle tied it with 1:25 left in the period after taking Filppula's long feed and plowing between Chicago's top defensive pairing of Keith and Niklas Hjalmarsson. Boyle broke in, faked Crawford to the ice and then slid the puck past him with a forehand move.

Keith put Chicago ahead 2-1 at 1:26 of the second on a shot from the left point that glanced in off Vasilevskiy's glove.

NOTES: Tampa Bay RW J.T. Brown returned after missing seven games with an upper-body injury. . Lightning D Jason Garrison sat out his second game with an illness. . The Blackhawks activated C Marcus Kruger (hand) from injured reserve, but he didn't play. Kruger was injured on Dec. 30 at Carolina. . Chicago C Dennis Rasmussen played despite missing the morning skate with an illness. . Blackhawks D Michal Kempny was back in the lineup after being benched in the third period on Sunday.

UP NEXT

Lightning: Conclude their six-game road trip at Florida on Thursday night.

Blackhawks: Host the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday night.

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LIGHTNING-BLACKHAWKS SUMS

First Period-1, Chicago, Toews 9 (Hartman, Panik), 10:23. 2, Tampa Bay, Boyle 12 (Filppula), 18:35. Penalties-Dotchin, TB, (hooking), 4:18; Nesterov, TB, (hooking), 13:19; Paquette, TB, Misconduct (misconduct), 14:23.

Second Period-3, Chicago, Keith 3 (Toews, Panarin), 1:26. Penalties-Kempny, CHI, (high sticking), 3:55; Killorn, TB, (holding), 12:23.

Third Period-4, Tampa Bay, Nesterov 3 (Boyle), 2:47. 5, Tampa Bay, Johnson 14 (Killorn, Filppula), 6:14. 6, Tampa Bay, Johnson 15 (Vasilevskiy, Killorn), 6:44. 7, Tampa Bay, Kucherov 18, 17:55. Penalties-Hartman, CHI, (hooking), 11:16.

Shots on Goal-Tampa Bay 10-12-14-36. Chicago 11-11-14-36.

Power-play opportunities-Tampa Bay 0 of 2; Chicago 0 of 3.

Goalies-Tampa Bay, Vasilevskiy 11-11-2 (36 shots-34 saves). Chicago, Crawford 18-11-3 (35-31).

A-21,617 (19,717). T-2:29.

Referees-Gord Dwyer, Dave Lewis. Linesmen-Derek Amell, Brian Mach.