Lightning chase Jacob Markstrom on the way to routing the Devils 8-4
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Monthly Digital Subscription
$0 for the first 4 weeks*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*No charge for 4 weeks then price increases to the regular rate of $19.00 plus GST every four weeks. Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.
Monthly Digital Subscription
$4.75/week*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*Billed as $19 plus GST every four weeks. Cancel any time.
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional
$1 for the first 4 weeks*
*Your next subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $16.99 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $23.99 plus GST every four weeks.
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Nick Paul, Darren Raddysh and Pontus Holmberg each scored in the opening eight minutes to chase Jacob Markstrom, and the injury-depleted Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the New Jersey Devils 8-4 on Thursday night.
The Lightning have strung together consecutive victories following a four-game skid, which culminated with back-to-back shutout losses. Oliver Bjorkstrand had two goals, Jake Guentzel, Brandon Hagel and Brayden Point got one apiece and Nikita Kucherov recorded four assists as Tampa Bay combined to score 14 times in these two wins.
Jonas Johansson made 33 saves in his fifth start in a row in place of injured No. 1 goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, who is out at least two more games. Captain Victor Hedman joined Vasilevskiy and fellow defensemen Ryan McDonagh and Erik Cernak on injured reserve earlier Thursday after aggravating an undisclosed ailment earlier this week.
After coach Jon Cooper praised his short-handed team’s all-around play other than saying, “We just haven’t been able to score,” the Lightning busted out offensively against Markstrom, who lasted just seven shots before getting pulled in favor of backup Jake Allen. Paul and Raddysh scored 51 seconds apart, and then Holmberg’s weak backhander going in was enough for Sheldon Keefe to yank Markstrom for performance-related reasons for the first time this season.
Markstrom’s save percentage fell to .875, which ranks 55th out of the 59 goalies who have appeared in at least nine games. Allen allowed five goals on 28 shots in relief. Luke Hughes, Jesper Bratt, Angus Crookshank and Paul Cotter scored for New Jersey, which has lost six of its past seven and nine of 14 since top center Jack Hughes had finger surgery.
Xavier Parent made his NHL debut for the Devils. Parent was called up to fill in for Timo Meier, who is taking a leave of absence to attend to a family health matter.
Up next
Lightning: Visit the New York Islanders on Saturday.
Devils: Host Anaheim on Saturday.
___
AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL