RECAP: Blackhawks Fall to Lightning, 5-2

The Blackhawks battled back from and early 2-0 hole, but couldn't hold off the two-time defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning in a 5-2 loss.
Calvin de Haan and Alex DeBrincat scored the two tallies for the visitors and Kevin Lankinen made 38 saves in the loss.

POSTGAME LINKS
GAMECENTER: CHI at TB
ANALYSIS: Friendly Foes Abound in Returns for Johnson, Raddysh & Katchouk
HIGHLIGHTS: Blackhawks at Lightning
GALLERY: Blackhawks at Lightning
STAT OF THE NIGHT: Dylan Strome notched his 100th career assist with a secondary helper on DeBrincat's second-period tally.
UP NEXT: Chicago returns home on Sunday evening to face the Arizona Coyotes. Jonathan Toews will be honored for his 1,000th NHL game in a pregame ceremony.

GAME RECAP

CHI: 0, TB: 1

1st - 6:11 - Steven Stamkos (Brayden Point, Nikita Kucherov)

Tampa Bay opened the scoring early on the night as Steven Stamkos converted a pretty setup from his linemates. Nikita Kucherov started things in the near-side corner, finding Brayden Point with some space in the slot. As the Chicago defenders closed on Point, he spun and sent a pass to Steven Stamkos at the far dot for an open shot at the weak side and a 1-0 lead.

CHI: 0, TB: 2

1st - 10:12 - Brayden Point (Nikita Kucherov, Steven Stamkos)

The Lightning converted again just after their second power play of the game with first-goal setup man Brayden Point finding the net the second time around. Nikita Kucherov got the point at the right dot and took a look at goal before finding Point in the slot for a one-timer in the slot and a 2-0 advantage.

CHI: 1, TB: 2

1st - 12:11 - Calvin de Haan (Kirby Dach)

Chicago got on the board a short time later as Calvin de Haan netted his third tally of the season and second over the last week. Kirby Dach scooped the puck away from a scrum along the end boards and quickly banked a pass up to de Haan at the point, where the defenseman took a step towards the middle of the ice and put a slap shot on goal that found twine through a screen in front.

CHI: 2, TB: 2

1st - 17:21 - Alex DeBrincat (Seth Jones, Dylan Strome) -- PP

The Blackhawks pulled even before the first intermission as Alex DeBrincat netted his 39th goal of the season on the power play. Seth Jones worked his way down towards the bottom of the circle off a rush before finding DeBrincat in an open area of the slot. The winger buried his quick chance against the grain for a 2-2 game.

CHI: 2, TB: 3

2nd - 6:12 - Ross Colton (Erik Cernak, Nicholas Paul)

Tampa regained the lead in the second when Nicholas Paul worked it back to the point to Erik Cernak for a quick one-timer. Kevin Lankinen made the stop on the initial shot through a Ross Colton screen in front, but Colton was at the doorstep to gather the short rebound and tuck it past Lankinen for a 3-2 lead.

CHI: 2, TB: 4

2nd - 12:15 - Ross Colton (Nicholas Paul, Cal Foote)

The third line struck again for Tampa Bay a few minutes later off a rush. Cal Foote sent a pass ahead to Nicholas Paul entering the zone. The winger skated towards the bottom of the circle on the far side and then slid a no-look backhand pass between his legs to find Ross Colton in the slot for a one-timer and the latter's second of the night to put the Lightning ahead, 4-2.

CHI: 2, TB: 5

3rd - 19:41 - Brandon Hagel (Ross Colton) -- EN

Former Blackhawk Brandon Hagel won a race to a loose puck and tapped an empty-netter home late to seal the victory, 5-2.