The Backcheck: Lightning win their 10th-straight on home ice

On a night celebrating Steven Stamkos for scoring his 500th career goal, it was only right that the Bolts captain scored the game-winning goal for his team. But the road to that game-winner wasn't easy, with the Lightning coming from behind on two separate occasions before beating the Minnesota Wild, 4-2, for the team's 10th-straight win at AMALIE Arena.

The first period was a tight-checking affair that featured some fireworks with Nick Paul and Jake Middleton dropping the gloves and squaring off at center ice in a spirited bout.
Both teams generated some chances in the opening 20 minutes, with the Lightning outshooting Minnesota 11-8 as the teams went into the first intermission tied at zero.
After Jonas Brodin was whistled for tripping three minutes into the second period, the Bolts went on the power play, which has been outstanding on home ice this season, but surrendered a shorthanded goal as Joel Eriksson Ek gave the Wild a 1-0 lead with a breakaway move to the backhand.

Giving up a shorthanded goal can be deflating for a team, but the Lightning responded with a goal from Corey Perry to tie the game at one with 10:16 remaining in the middle frame. After Mikhail Sergachev sent a pass to Ross Colton at the right circle, Colton hammered a one-timer that Perry was able to redirect pass Marc-Andre Fleury for his seventh goal of the season.
With the Bolts shorthanded, the Wild answered just 1:58 after the Perry goal and regained the lead, making it a 2-1 game with 8:18 remaining in the second.
But again, Perry and Tampa Bay punched back, and it was very similar to the Perry's first goal of the game. With 1:55 remaining in the second and the Bolts on the power play, Colton collected the puck on the right boards and skated into the high slot before ripping a wrist shot on goal that, once again, was redirected by Perry and into the back of the net to tie the game at two.
With the game in the balance going into the third period, the two teams continued to play each other tight. Andrei Vasilevskiy made some big saves in the first 10 minutes or so to keep the score knotted at two before the Lightning took a 3-2 lead with 5:38 remaining.
"We know what Vasy brings every night," said Stamkos. "He gives us a chance to win and made some huge saves. That's exactly what it was. He gave us a chance to win the game late and that's what you want in a goalie."
On a night celebrating the captain for scoring 500 career goals, it felt like he just had to be the one to get the game-winner. And while it may not have been the prettiest of all goals, they all count just the same.
After a really crisp breakout out of the Lightning zone, Nikita Kucherov made a great pass to Sergachev, who jumped into the play and sent a pass intended for Stamkos in the slot. Matt Boldy got a stick on the puck for the Wild before it deflected off Jared Spurgeon and back to Stamkos. The captain threw the puck towards the net, and it ended up redirecting off Ryan Hartman and past Fleury.
"There were certainly some good chances that we had tonight, myself included with a few," said Stamkos. "They didn't go in the net, so just to get one like that is nice, especially with five and a half minutes left in the game.
"Like I said before, you really want to win these games where you have special moments like that. They always sit better in the room after the game, when the guys are feeling good after a win, so it was a good win."

Kucherov added an empty-net goal off an assist from Brandon Hagel to put a bow on the 4-2 win for Tampa Bay. The Lightning have two games remaining on this homestand against the Boston Bruins on Thursday and the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday. Then the team will break for All-Star festivities in Sunrise.
Now with 10 consecutive wins at home, the Bolts could tie the franchise record with an 11th-straight win at home on Thursday against Boston.
"I think we were excited to come back home," said Stamkos. "It was a long trip. It was five games, but getting in late every night and back-to-backs, it just felt like a wear and tear type of trip.
"We knew coming home with these three games, we'd have an opportunity to play some really good teams and get back on track. I think guys are excited."