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Johnson’s late goal helps Lightning down Senators 5-3 for 6th straight win

Jan 4, 2020 | 9:25 PM

OTTAWA — Tyler Johnson scored with 1:30 left in regulation as the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Ottawa Senators 5-3 on Saturday to extend their winning streak to six games.

The final minute of play had fans on their feet as many believed the Senators had tied the game, but the goal was called off because Colin White deliberately head-butted the puck past Curtis McElhinney, who made 25 saves.

The Lightning (23-13-4) got second-period goals from Carter Verhaeghe and Kevin Shattenkirk, before Brayden Point tied the game 3-3 late in the third. Alex Killorn added an empty-net goal just over a minute later.

Point showed some patience to handcuff Mark Borowiecki and wristed a shot past Anderson to tie the game 3-3 at the eight-minute mark of the third period.

Chris Tierney, Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Borowiecki scored second-period goals for the Senators (16-21-5), while Craig Anderson made 23 saves.

Tierney missed a great chance in the final minute of play in the first period, but made up for it by scoring shorthanded in the first minute of the second to open the scoring. On an odd-man rush, Tierney deflected a shot off Victor Hedman’s stick and in.

The Lightning went on to take the lead in the second by scoring twice in a span of 65 seconds. First, Hedman found Verhaeghe in the slot who buried the puck into an empty cage. Then, just over a minute later, a trailing Shattenkirk picked up a loose puck and fired it past Anderson.

Pageau matched his career-high with his 19th of the campaign on a one-timer that beat McElhinney blocker side to tie the game 2-2. It was also his first power-play goal of the season.

Borowiecki gave the Senators the lead scoring with nine seconds remaining in the second as he fired a slapshot glove side.

Defenceman Mike Reilly, acquired from Montreal on Thursday, made his debut for the Senators.

Notes: Ottawa’s Anthony Duclair is day-to-day after blocking a shot in Thursday’s game against Florida and Scott Sabourin was a healthy scratch as Mikkel Boedker entered the lineup for the first time since Nov. 25.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 4, 2020.

The Canadian Press

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