Burns: Three things we learned from an overtime win over Chicago

The Tampa Bay-Chicago matchup has been one of the more exciting games on the Lightning schedule over the last couple of years.
Wednesday's thriller at AMALIE Arena was no exception.
The Lightning spotted the Blackhawks two goals in the first period, then began the long journey of rallying from the deficit, Ondrej Palat scoring shorthanded in the second period and Chris Kunitz netting the game-tying goal 31 seconds into the third period.
Brayden Point's overtime game-winner, his second OT goal of the season, completed the comeback for the Bolts.
The Lightning enter Thanksgiving with the best record in the NHL at 16-3-2 and the best record in franchise history.
What made win No. 16 possible?
We'll look at Three Things that allowed the Lightning to come away with both points against the Blackhawks.

1. THE GAME-WINNER

The tic-tac-toe passing between Vladislav Namestnikov and Steven Stamkos and finally Brayden Point on the back post that netted the power-play game-winning goal is one of the prettiest passing sequences you'll see in the NHL this season.
But Nikita Kucherov made the play happen by beating Gustav Forsling to a loose puck along the wall and fending off Forsling and Jonathan Toews to slip a pass to Namestnikov down low to get the sequence started.
Kucherov, who was held without a point for a second-straight game, doesn't get an assist on the play.
But he should.
"He sucked a couple guys in," Stamkos said of Kucherov's effort. "I know it doesn't get on the scoresheet, but he made that play. And then Vladdy found me and I knew Pointer was back door. It was great for us just to get that opportunity."
Stamkos had a good look in the slot on the game-winning play after Namestnikov hit him in the slot, but the Lightning captain saw Point setting up on the post out of the corner of his eye and was able to draw Chicago goalie Corey Crawford out of net slightly to allow Point to slip a shot around his outstretched right leg.
"Stammer made a great pass to me, and I just had to tap it in," Point said.
2. THE BREAKAWAY SAVE

Right before Point's game-winner, Andrei Vasilevskiy made perhaps the play of the game to keep the contest going and allow the Bolts to pick up both points.
The Lightning got caught with too many men up ice, and Patrick Kane was able to get behind the Bolts for a clear breakaway opportunity on Vasilevskiy.
Kane already had scored twice for both of Chicago's goals. He sent a well-placed wrist shot from the left circle to the far post over Vasilevskiy's glove 3:49 into the game for the first goal. He added a top-shelf tally on a 5-on-3 power play to make it 2-0 Chicago.
Kane had a hat trick and the game-winner on his stick with nobody but Vasilevskiy in front of him midway through overtime.
But Vasilevskiy made a fantastic save, one of several down the stretch, to keep the game deadlocked.
"Of course, they're going to get a breakaway and of course it's going to be 88," Cooper said. "You just kind of turn away and hope you hear the crowd cheer. That's what happened."
The crowd did, in fact, cheer.
And it cheered again seconds later when Point was able to put a puck past Crawford to send AMALIE Arena into a frenzy.
Vasilevskiy stopped 29-of 31 shots overall to record his NHL-best 15th win of the season. He's given up two goals or less in four of his last five games.
"There were multiple saves he made," Cooper said. "We don't win that game without him."
Added Ondrej Palat: "He was the best player for us tonight. He kept us in the game."
3. THE DIVING DEFLECTION

Late in regulation with both teams deserving of a point and trying desperately to hold on to it, Chicago nearly stole the victory with less than 10 seconds to go. A turnover deep in the Lightning zone led to a 2-on-1 advantage for the Blackhawks with Steven Stamkos as the lone player in the way.
Stamkos dove down to the ice and got just enough of his stick on the cross-ice pass bound for the back post and an open one-timer to disrupt the play and keep the Blackhawks from getting a shot off.
If the pass gets through, it's likely in the back of the net and the Lightning are left feeling extremely dejected before they head out to Washington, D.C. to play an extremely difficult road back-to-back set against the Capitals and the Pittsburgh Penguins.
As it turned out, Stamkos' game-saving play preserved at least one point for the Bolts and eventually two.
"It was awesome," Palat said of Stamkos' deflection. "He's a leader, and that's why he's the captain."
Stamkos said he didn't particularly play his best game on Wednesday and complimented the Chris Kunitz-Cedric Paquette-Ryan Callahan line for their tenacity and carry the team through much of the game when the breaks weren't going their way. Stamkos said their play was motivating.
Perhaps he was thinking of that trio when he sold out in the waning moments to keep Chicago from getting a Grade-A look.
"He's unbelievable to watch," Point said. "At games and practice, he's the hardest working guy, and you can learn so much from a guy like that."