Stamkos paces Lightning to win over Stars
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- Tampa Bay took full advantage of Dallas' woeful penalty-killing.
Steven Stamkos had a goal and two assists, Dominic Moore scored two goals, and the Lightning beat the Stars 5-4 on Monday night.
"I think everybody rebounded," Lightning coach Guy Boucher said two days after his team lost 6-0 at Florida. "We came out real strong."
Tampa Bay, which went 4 of 5 on the power play, also got goals from Steve Downie and Sean Bergenheim. Stamkos has five goals and four assists in five games this season.
"The focus every game right now is on improvement, whether we win or lose," Moore said. "I thought tonight was one of our most complete efforts of the season."
Toby Petersen, Adam Burish, Brenden Morrow and James Neal scored for the Stars, who had started the season by winning four in a row. Dallas, which entered with the third-worst penalty-killing unit in the NHL, has given up 10 power-play goals in 25 short-handed situations overall.
"We couldn't kill a penalty to save our life," Stars coach Marc Crawford said.
Tampa Bay outshot the Stars 44-19, including 35-10 through two periods.
"You've got to get shots on goal," Dallas center Brad Richards said. "We didn't test their goalie. If we get 30 shots, maybe we win."
The Lightning were without team captain Vincent Lecavalier, who didn't play because of a right hand injury. He was hit on the first knuckle of the hand by a shot on Saturday.
Tampa Bay took a 3-2 lead when Bergenheim scored from the top of the crease off a pass from Stamkos with 10:34 remaining in the second. Moore extended the advantage to 4-2 on a power-play goal at 18:06 of the second.
Petersen put the Stars up 1-0 with a short-handed breakaway goal at 15:04 of the first. It stopped a personal 17-game goal drought, dating back to March 16th against San Jose.
After Downie tied it at 1 during a power play at 16:21 of the first, Stamkos' man-advantage goal gave Tampa Bay a 2-1 lead with 13.2 seconds left in the period.
Burish pulled the Stars even at 2 from the slot 6:04 into the second.
Moore, on the power play, and Morrow traded goals 13 seconds apart early in the third. Dallas made it a one-goal game when Neal scored with the Stars' net empty and 59.5 seconds to play.
"We were going in the right direction from the start," Tampa Bay defenseman Victor Hedman said. "It got a little close at the end there, but overall I think we dominated the game."
NOTES: Richards assisted on Neal's goal. He has 10 points (two goals, eight assists) through five games this season. ... Stamkos, who had just 38 penalty minutes last season, picked up two minor penalties during the opening 8:13 of the first period. ... Stars LW Jamie Benn missed his third consecutive game with concussion-like symptoms. ... Stamkos has three goals and five points in three games against Dallas. ... Tampa Bay's team record for power-play goals in one game is five set at Buffalo on March 19, 1995.
Updated October 18, 2010