Brayden Point's late goal secured a dramatic 3-2 victory for the Tampa Bay Lightning against the Carolina Hurricanes, halting a four-game losing streak. With just 52 seconds remaining, Point, assisted by Nikita Kucherov, showcased his skill by spinning and firing a shot past Hurricanes' goalie Pytor Kochetkov. Brandon Hagel and Nick Paul also lit the lamp for Tampa Bay, while Darren Raddysh contributed two assists. Andrei Vasilevskiy was solid in net, stopping 30 shots.
The Hurricanes saw goals from Andrei Svechnikov and Jordan Staal, with Kochetkov making 31 saves. Notably, defenseman Brent Burns extended his iron man streak to 884 consecutive games, tying him with Steve Larmer for sixth longest in NHL history. Carolina's inconsistency has been a concern, as they have not managed back-to-back wins since mid-December.
Key moments included Victor Hedman thwarting a Carolina late change to set up the Lightning's winning goal. This victory is significant for Tampa Bay, who improved to 21-5-1 when scoring three or more goals in a game. The Lightning's next challenge is against the Boston Bruins, while the Penguins will take on the Toronto Maple Leafs.
