Recap: Late Goal Sinks Ducks in 4-2 Loss to Lightning

Brandon Hagel broke a third period deadlock, scoring the game-winning goal with 4:27 left to give the Tampa Bay Lightning a 4-2 win over the Ducks tonight at Honda Center.
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The setback dropped Anaheim to 1-1-0 on home ice this season and 1-5-1 overall. The Ducks have lost six straight games following a season-opening comeback win over Seattle.
Troy Terry factored in both Ducks goals, tallying two points (1-1=2). Trevor Zegras also scored for Anaheim, his fourth goal in seven games. Dmitry Kulikov added an assist.

John Gibson turned in another strong performance in net, stopping 26-of-29 Tampa Bay shots in his sixth start of the season.
Nikita Kucherov, Mikhail Sergachev and Nick Paul also scored for the Lightning, who improved to 4-4-0 on the season and 1-1-0 heading to the finale of a three-game California road trip. Veteran netminder Brian Elliot made 19 saves for his 269th career NHL victory.
After placing a heavy emphasis on improved special teams play over the last few days, Anaheim did everything but score on a power play eight minutes after the opening puck drop. The Ducks peppered the Tampa Bay net with chances, but could not get anything past Elliott in the early going.
Anaheim would break through for the game's first goal later in the frame though, going ahead on a one-time blast from Zegras. The centerman and his linemate Terry went to work behind the Tampa net, digging a loose puck free before Zegras fed it to Kulikov at the point. Kulikov then returned the favor to Zegras in the left faceoff circle, setting him up for a one-timer than Zegras blew past Elliot for a 1-0 Ducks lead.

Facing an early deficit in the second half of a back-to-back 3,000 miles from home, the Bolts showed just why they've advanced to three straight Stanley Cup Finals, quickly bouncing back with consecutive goals to claim the lead.
Sergachev scored the first, finishing off a well-executed cycle by the visitors and beating Gibson through traffic from the top of the right circle.
Rookie defenseman Nick Perbix recorded the secondary assist on the tying goal, marking his first career NHL point.
Kucherov scored 86 seconds later, converting a cross-seam pass by Victor Hedman.
A former Hart Memorial Trophy winner as NHL MVP, Kucherov has 17 points in 15 career games against Anaheim. He leads Tampa Bay in both scoring and assists this season and has found the scoresheet in seven of the club's first eight games.
Tampa would have the best scoring chances early in the second period too, ringing the post behind Gibson after a Ducks defensive zone turnover and then forcing the netminder to make a terrific stop on Lightning captain Steven Stamkos off the rush.

Instead of suddenly staring at a two-goal climb, the Ducks took advantage of the new life, pulling even on an absurd individual effort by Terry. As Tampa Bay tried to evacuate the puck from its own zone while Anaheim went for line changes, Terry became a one-man forecheck, ripping the puck off the stick of defenseman Philippe Myers before stepping into the slot and roofing a wrister past Elliot.
Terry has five points (3-2=5) in two games at Honda Center this season. The 25-year-old winger leads the Ducks in scoring (4-5=9), goals and assists. Dating back to the start of last season, Terry has 76 points in his last 82 appearances.
Anaheim very nearly went ahead on an early third-period power play, but Elliott made a terrific save sliding from post to post to rob Mason McTavish on the doorstep.
The missed opportunity would prove costly too, as the Ducks' quite seasoned opponents would not let the hosts get by unscathed in the same situation. With Zegras sitting in the box for high-sticking and less than five minutes to go in regulation, Hagel beat Gibson up high off left wing for the night's decisive goal.
With the extra attacker on in the final minute, the Ducks would push hard for the equalizer in front of the home fans, but Elliott made a couple of big stops and Paul hit the empty net, providing the nail in the coffin for some late-game heroics.
The Ducks return to action Friday, taking on the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena.