Devils score four in third, end Lightning point streak at nine

TAMPA --The Tampa Bay Lightning had their nine-game point streak end with a 5-3 loss to the New Jersey Devils at Amalie Arena on Saturday.

Dawson Mercer, Jimmy Vesey, Yegor Sharangovich and Tomas Tatar scored third-period goals for the Devils (8-5-3), who had lost their past three games (0-2-1). Mackenzie Blackwood made 31 saves.
"We had lost a couple in a row, and I think it would have been easy to pack it in and say, 'We're playing Tampa, they're a good team and we've got a couple days off here and we'll get it next week,'" Vesey said. "But no one can question our effort all year. Tonight was awesome and even better, we got rewarded for it."
Jan Rutta had a goal and an assist, and Victor Hedman scored for the Lightning (9-4-3), who were 7-0-2 during their point streak. Andrei Vasilevskiy made 22 saves.
"It wasn't the third (period), their team outworked us," Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said. "It's the National Hockey League. When you get outworked, you're playing with fire. The sense of arrogance we had about us today. We got a lead 3-1 and thought this was going to be easy. We got what we deserved."

Mercer cut it to 3-2 at 1:12 of the third period when he faked a wraparound and tucked it past Vasilevskiy on the short side.
Blackwood then made a glove save on Alex Killorn on a 2-on-0 with Mathieu Joseph at 3:59 of the third to keep the Devils within one.
"I don't think a lot of people expect you to make saves in that situation, so you really have nothing to lose except maybe letting in a goal," Blackwood said. "But it's really more about trying to stay with the puck and doing your best to stay on top of it."
Vesey scored less than two minutes later to tie it 3-3 at 5:39, converting on a breakaway after receiving an outlet pass from P.K. Subban.
"We didn't like where we were at after two periods, and we came out with a lot more fire," Vesey said. "We got the first one early, and P.K. made a great pass to me and I was lucky enough to beat the goalie."

Sharangovich put the Devils ahead 4-3 at 9:34 with his second goal of the game.
Brayden Point was awarded a penalty shot at 10:06 after he was pulled down by Ryan Graves, but his shot went off the crossbar.
Tatar scored an empty-net goal at 18:44 to extend the lead to 5-3.
"We're going to be down in games and we have to find a way to get back in them, find a way to win them, find a way to get points," Devils coach Lindy Ruff said. "I knew going into tonight that if we got the opportunities, we were going to have to finish to be a good team."
Rutta gave the Lightning a 1-0 lead at 5:49 of the first period with a wrist shot from the top of the right circle.
"I think we were lacking a little bit of urgency the whole game and it bit us at the end," Rutta said. "Normally we play with a little more grit. I think we were lacking that tonight."
Sharangovich tied it 1-1 at 13:56 of the first with his first goal of the season, a snap shot from the low slot.
"He's been playing great for us," Blackwood said. "Just been a little bit of a snake bite there, but I feel like now that he's got those goals, the floodgates are going to open for him."

Pat Maroon made it 2-1 at 18:15 of the first with a power-play goal, scoring on a rebound in front off a one-timer from Ross Colton.
Hedman extended the Lightning lead to 3-1 at 6:17 of the second period with a shot from the left circle that beat Blackwood blocker side.
"When you have a 3-1 lead, you have to find ways to bear down and play solid defensively," Maroon said. "That doesn't mean you still can't play offense. We have to do a better job."
NOTES:Point finished the game, but Cooper said he wasn't sure if the forward would be available Sunday against the Minnesota Wild after crashing into the boards prior to the penalty shot. ...The Devils were 0-for-3 on the power play and are 1-for-22 with the man-advantage on the road this season. ... Sharangovich, who hadn't scored in 13 games this season, was fourth among rookies in goals last season with 16. ... Hedman has six points (two goals, four assists) in his past four games. ... Killorn had a five-game point streak end. ... Mercer scored his sixth goal of the season, tied for third among rookies. He and forward Jesper Bratt lead New Jersey in scoring with 12 points each. … Lightning defenseman Cal Foote was a late scratch with an undisclosed injury.