A pair of goals from Tyler Johnson helped the Lightning double up the Red Wings in a 5-2 victory. Quick strikes were the key for Tampa Bay as the Lightning now take a 2-0 series lead into Detroit for the next pair.
Red Wings vs. Lightning 2016 final score: Tyler Johnson helps Tampa Bay double series lead with 5-2 victory
Tampa Bay’s quick retaliations helped pull a 5-2 score out of the hands of Detroit.
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Lightning goaltender Ben Bishop -- who made 30 saves in the contest -- was tested right from the get go as an early Red Wings power play helped Detroit get the first five shots of the game. Then the Red Wings got themselves in penalty trouble, and two bad infractions from Gustav Nyquist and Justin Abdelkader gave the Lightning a 5-on-3 and the deadly Tampa power play struck with Nikita Kucherov's third of the series.
In the first period we did get our best save of the series so far in an unlikely way, from the rear end of Danny DeKeyser.
Dylan Larkin made the Lightning's penalty killers pay after getting behind Tampa Bay's defense early in the second period and tying the game at 1-1 with the rookie's first shot of the playoffs.
From one young player making plays to another, much talked about Jonathan Drouin got his first point of the playoffs on an odd-man rush. The forward -- who spent time in the news this season for his drama with the Lightning franchise -- had been visible in positive ways for the first two games of the playoffs. It paid off in Brian Boyle's goal when Drouin's back pass to the trailing forward in the high slot caught the Red Wings looking.
Like Game 1, this match had an edge to it. The biggest get together came after Danny DeKeyser got Ondrej Palat with an elbow to the head.
Dekeyser hit on Palat pic.twitter.com/ZkHLw4oU16
— Marc Dumont (@MarcPDumont) April 16, 2016
The Red Wings had four power play opportunities headed into the third period and they finally lit the lamp on their fifth. Detroit got the cycle going and former Lightning Brad Richards beat Bishop high four and a half minutes into the frame.
Tyler Johnson got the score right back for the Lightning moments later as Tampa Bay was able to get Jimmy Howard out of position. Alex Killorn's wrap around caused Howard to slide out of the goal crease while Johnson finished the play at the side of the cage for the 3-2 game winner.
One final tally by Johnson in the game’s final moments and a Killorn empty net goal put the game away.
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