Anthony Deangelo scored 33 seconds into overtime as the New York Islanders defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning, 3-2, at Amalie Arena. Bolts Forward Nikita Kucherov forced the game into overtime with a goal with 46 seconds remaining in regulation. However, Tampa Bay never had a chance to score in the extra period as the Islanders controlled play for most of the game.
The first period was simply the Ilya Sorokin/Andrei Vasilevskiy Show. Islander goaltender Sorokin stopped 11 shots, and Lightning netminder Vasilevskiy stopped 13 during aggressive offensive play for both teams.
The Bolts moved the puck well and created several scoring opportunities. However, Sorokin made several key saves from point-blank range to hold Tampa Bay from the scoreboard. Vasilevskiy did the same on his end of the ice. At one point, the Lightning all-star swatted a puck away on a backhand shot from Simon Holmstrom while falling in the opposite direction.
Guentzel opens the scoring, but New York applies the pressure
Lightning forward Jake Guentzel opened the scoring with a tip-in on an Erik Cernak shot from the point early in the second period.
Perfect placement 🤌 pic.twitter.com/dEiu2UN8O8
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) February 2, 2025
Although the Bolts scored first, the Islanders applied pressure for most of the period. New York outshot Tampa Bay, 17-10, in the period. New York held the puck in the Lightning defensive zone at one stretch for nearly two minutes without stoppage.
Tampa Bay had two power play opportunities during this period. However, they were unable to convert on seven shots in either.
Bolts, Kucherov Rally But Fall Short
The Islanders continued to outplay Tampa Bay in the third period. New York forward Kyle Palmieri scored the go-ahead goal when he snapped a shot past Vasilevskiy as time expired on a Isles power play. The scoring play highlighted New York’s ability to move freely in the neutral zone and keep the puck in their offensive zone.
Despite being down for the latter part of the third period, the Lightning continued to push offensively. With two minutes remaining in regulation, Vasilevskiy was pulled in favor of an extra skater. The strategy paid off as Kucherov scored the equalizer with less than a minute remaining.
NIKITA. KUCHEROV. pic.twitter.com/Ouejr8OZYU
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) February 2, 2025
Tampa Bay continued to press the final seconds of the period with two more shots before regulation expired. Seemingly, the Bolts entered the extra frame with momentum on their side. Unfortunately for the Lightning, New York controlled the puck from the start of overtime.
Bo Horvat found Deangelo on a long pass in the extra frame, and the Islander forward won the game with a wrist shot past Vasilevskiy. The win was the seventh straight for New York. The overtime loss was Tampa Bay’s fifth in seven games, and the second of three games on this homestretch.
Tampa Bay head coach Jon Cooper remained positive after the Bolts picked up a point with their late rally.
“There was a long period time where we were probably scoring more than expected, “Cooper said. “And, now, we are most definitely scoring less than expected.”
“The tide will change. It is just testing your will and your patience. Now, it’s a race for the last 30 games here and our urgency level is going to have to be higher than ever.”
Bolts induct two new honorees to the Lightning Hall of Fame
This weekend, the Lightning inducted Brian Bradley and Rick Peckham into the Lightning Hall of Fame with pre-game ceremonies at Amalie Arena.
Bradley was a member of the inaugural Lightning team of 1992-93, playing seven seasons for the Bolts. He was the franchise’s first all-star, earning the honor in that first season. Bradley played 328 games with the Bolts and still ranks among the Top-15 All-Time in goals and points.
Peckham, a 2020 Hockey Hall of Fame inductee, spent 24 years as a television play-by-play broadcaster with Tampa Bay. The press box broadcast booths at Amalie Arena are named in his honor.
Three Stars of the Game
1. Anthony Deangelo, New York. Deangelo scored the game winner in overtime.
2. Ilya Sorokin, New York. Sorokin had the Bolts’ number most of the night, stopping 28 of 30 shots he faced.
3. Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay. The Big Cat stopped 33 of 36 shots and kept Tampa Bay in the game while New York controlled the Bolts’ defensive end.
Up Next
The Tampa Bay Lightning host the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday night at Amalie Arena. It’s the first of two home game matchups against Ottawa this week. The puck drops at 7 pm.
