12/11/25 08:52:00
Printable Page
12/11 20:47 CST Lightning chase Jacob Markstrom on the way to routing the
Devils 8-4
Lightning chase Jacob Markstrom on the way to routing the Devils 8-4
By STEPHEN WHYNO
AP Hockey Writer
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
|
