Other Lightning line makes difference in Game 1 against Devils

TAMPA-- Ondrej Palat, Brayden Point and Tyler Johnson proved to be much more than checking specialists for the Tampa Bay Lightning in a 5-2 win against the New Jersey Devils in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference First Round at Amalie Arena on Thursday.

Given the task of containing New Jersey's top line of Nico Hischier centering left wing Taylor Hall and Kyle Palmieri, the Lightning trio delivered -- and then some -- when they combined for two goals and six points in the first period to give the Lightning a 2-0 lead. Palat scored at 15:00, and Johnson scored at 19:31.
Game 2 of the best-of-7 series will be here Saturday (3 p.m. ET; NBC, CNBC, SNE, SNO, TVAS2).
WATCH: [All Devils vs. Lightning Game 1 highlights | Complete Lightning vs. Devils series coverage\]
Palat picked a perfect time for his first three-point game of the season, particularly with captain Steven Stamkos (86 points) and Nikita Kucherov (100 points) limited to one empty-net goal (by Kucherov with 1:12 remaining) and five shots on goal.
"We had a good start and our forecheck was good," Palat said. "We played against Hall's line and we just wanted to stay above them. We just wanted to try to do our work, and our work was to play good against Hall's line, and I think we did that."
Palat did make an ill-advised pass in his defensive zone into the slot, where Hall stole the puck and scored his first NHL playoff goal. Other than that, it was mission accomplished in both zones; Hall, Hischier and Palmieri were minus-5 and had eight shots on goal, none by Hischier.

"As coach, you're trying to put guys out there against the guys you think are going to have success and it was big for us that (Palat, Point, Johnson) scored twice," Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. "Taylor Hall is a dangerous player, but you can't sleep on Hischier or Palmieri either because they're a good line together. I thought that was a big confidence builder for our guys to see that line get two goals.
"We gave one up one to them but we kind of gift-wrapped that one. I thought they did a really good job against them and it was a big lift, especially to take a 2-0 lead in the first period of our first playoff game."
Palat, Point and Johnson were a combined plus-3 with six points and eight shots on goal.
"They're good players," Palmieri said. "I played against Point and Johnson basically my whole pro career, through minors, and we all kind of came up at the same time. We have to do a better job in our own zone."
Hall, Hischier and Palmieri scored 83 goals in the regular season.

"[Johnson and Palat] find a way," Cooper said. "They've done it before. The reason they've been with us for a long time is because they produce for us in the playoffs. They produce in the regular season as well, but it's just a little bit more magnified here in the playoffs. Those guys are winners, they are gamers, and in playoffs they find a way."
Johnson has 44 points (22 goals, 22 assists) in 48 Stanley Cup Playoff games, and Palat has 32 points (15 goals, 17 assists) in 47 games. Point had an assist in his NHL playoff debut Thursday.
"The Point line did a good job against us and scored a couple," Hall said. "If we're going to play against them the whole series, we have to be better."