NHL: Zemgus Girgensons, Lightning hit century mark in win vs. Penguins

Tampa Bay Lightning's Anthony Cirelli recorded his second career hat trick, while Zemgus Girgensons notched his 100th career goal as the host Lightning rallied with five straight goals to defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-3 on Thursday.

Trailing 2-1 early in the second period, Tampa Bay (47-22-6, 100 points) scored three unanswered goals—Cirelli’s short-handed tally, Brayden Point’s goal, and Girgensons’ milestone strike—to improve to 8-2-2 in their last 12 games and win the season series 2-1-0 against Pittsburgh (38-22-16, 92 points).

The Lightning now share 100 points atop the Atlantic Division with the Buffalo Sabres but hold a game in hand.

Cirelli completed his hat trick with an empty-net goal in the third period, his first since 2020. Nikita Kucherov contributed a goal and two assists, while Jake Guentzel and Gage Goncalves each recorded two assists. Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy made 21 saves.

Tampa Bay was without Brandon Hagel, the team’s third-leading scorer with 35 goals, who is day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.

For Pittsburgh, Egor Chinakhov scored twice, including a goal in the final seconds, and Rickard Rakell tallied for the seventh time in six games. Kris Letang and Samuel Girard each added two assists, with Girard earning his first multipoint game since joining the Penguins on Feb. 24. Goalie Stuart Skinner stopped 27 shots.

The scoring opened in the first period after Pittsburgh rookie Ben Kindel turned over the puck in the defensive zone. Skinner initially stopped Goncalves’ shot, but Cirelli potted the rebound at 5:06 for his 21st goal of the season.

Less than two minutes later, the Penguins evened the score when Girard maneuvered around Vasilevskiy and set up Rakell for his 21st goal. Chinakhov then gave Pittsburgh its first lead at 16:10 with his 19th goal of the season.

Early in the second, the Penguins won a faceoff on a power play, but Cirelli intercepted a pass and scored on a breakaway just 11 seconds into the period. Point later restored Tampa Bay’s lead with his 18th goal at 14:08, and Girgensons capped the frame with his 100th career goal, giving the Lightning a 4-2 lead.

-Field Level Media/Reuters