TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Defenseman John Carlson scored twice for his 11th career multi-goal game, Nikita Kucherov had two assists and Dennis Hildeby made 34 saves in the Tampa Bay Lightning’s 3-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night.
Anthony Cirelli also scored to help Tampa Bay win its third straight game.
Quinn Hughes scored and assisted on Blake Coleman’s power-play goal for Minnesota. Jesper Wallstedt finished with 32 saves.
Cirelli opened the scoring for the Lightning, getting his stick on Erik Cernak’s shot for a deflection past Wallstedt at 5:26 of the first period. Carlson scored 36 seconds later with a wrist shot from the right point.
Hughes cut the Wild deficit to 2-1 at the 2:32 mark with a wrist shot through traffic. Jared Spurgeon, who picked up an assist on the goal, and Hughes both matched a franchise record for defensemen by scoring a point in four consecutive games to start the season, tying Ryan Suter, who did it twice.
Carlson regained the two-goal lead with a one-timer off a Kucherov pass at 4:55 to snap an 0-for-14 power-play drought to start the season. Coleman answered with a power-play goal off the rush with 5:59 left in second.
Minnesota played without defenseman Olli Maatta (lower-body injury) and forward Nick Foligno (upper-body injury).
Up next
Wild: At Florida on Saturday night.
Lightning: at New York Islanders on Saturday night.
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By ERIK ERLENDSSON
Associated Press
