Adam Lowry scored 1:39 into overtime and the Winnipeg Jets won their fourth consecutive game, beating the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 on Wednesday night.
Lowry scored from the left circle off a pass from Neal Pionk.
“We had some good patience,” Lowry said, “Unbelievable pass. Just tried my best to not miss.”
Vladislav Namestnikov stole the puck and controlled it in the offensive zone to also assist on the winner.
“There was endless breakdowns,” Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said of the overtime goal. “Didn’t take the puck out. We turned it over.”
Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck stopped 31 shots. Josh Morrissey and Mark Scheifele scored for Winnipeg.
“Helly was really pushing for the day off tomorrow,” Lowry said. “I think there’s some great fishing on that [east] side [of Florida].”
The Jets have 11 overtime wins since the start of last season. Only New Jersey and Carolina, with 12 each, have more.
Steven Stamkos and Brayden Point scored for the Lightning, who had won three in a row. Jonas Johansson made 29 saves.
Hellebuyck made a terrific pad save on Nikita Kucherov and turned aside Brandon Hagel’s breakaway shot during an 18-second span early in the first. Morrissey opened the scoring 59 seconds later.
“Teams with depth win, and probably a big reason why Winnipeg’s winning,” Cooper said. “And they got a goalie back there. So, you add those things up and it’s plain to see Winnipeg in the upper half of the standings, because they have star players, they’ve got a goalie and they’re deep.”
Stamkos cut the Lightning deficit to 2-1 late in the first on his 198th power-play goal that tied him for 20th place overall with Brian Bellows. It also gave the Lightning captain a three-game goal streak and was his 523rd overall, which is one away from tying Bryan Trottier for 37th place.
Point tied it 2-2 in the second. Johansson kept it even with an outstanding pad stop on Cole Perfetti.
“They’re a great team,” Morrissey said. “The calibre of play, the team they have, Have some of the best players in the world. So, it’s always a tough team, especially in this building.”
Morrissey also had an assist.
Up next
Jets: Play at the Florida Panthers on Friday.
Lightning: Play at Carolina Hurricanes on Friday and then travel to Colorado and Arizona.