TAMPA (AP) — Ondrej Palat scored 36 seconds into overtime after Tampa Bay teammate Corey Perry tied it late in the third period, and the Lightning beat the Montreal Canadiens 5-4 in the first NHL game following an extended holiday break.
Perry got the equalizer with 19.7 seconds left in regulation and the Lightning net empty before Palat won it off a pass from Victor Hedman. It was the first NHL game since the Lightning won 4-3 at Vegas on Dec. 21 in the only game played that night.
Dozens more were postponed over the past week-plus as the league turned a Christmas break scheduled to last three days into a six-day hiatus because of COVID-19 outbreaks and protocols.
In other NHL action:
— Jonathan Marchessault had two goals and an assist in the Vegas Golden Knights’ 6-3 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Reilly Smith and Chandler Stephenson each added a goal and an assist as Vegas returned from the extended Christmas break to push its road winning streak to six games. Keegan Kolesar and Mattias Janmark also scored, and Laurent Brossoit made 24 saves. Golden Knights assistant Steve Spott ran the bench, with head coach Peter DeBoer in virus protocol. Jonathan Quick was pulled early in the second period after allowing five goals on 15 shots for the Kings, who had not played since Dec. 19 after their past three games were postponed because of the NHL’s ongoing issues with COVID-19.
— Tomas Hertl came out of COVID-19 protocols and delivered twice for the San Jose Sharks in their 8-7 shootout victory over the Arizona Coyotes. Hertl scored his team-leading 15th goal and added a shootout goal for San Jose, which played for the first time since Dec. 16 amid a flurry of pandemic-related postponements and an extended NHL holiday break. Logan Couture had a goal and an assist and scored in the shootout. Lawson Crouse and Janis Moser each scored twice for the Coyotes, who hadn’t played since Dec. 17 and lost for the eighth time in 10 games.
Lightning star Point back after missing 14 games with injury
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Tampa Bay Lightning star center Brayden Point will return to the lineup for Tuesday night’s game against Montréal after missing 14 games with an upper-body injury.
Lightning assistant coach Derek Lalonde announced the news after the team’s morning skate. Lalonde is filling in for coach Jon Cooper, who is in COVID-19 protocols. In addition to Cooper, goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy, defenseman Mikhail Sergachev and forward Anthony Cirelli are among six players in the protocols.
Point was hurt Nov. 20 in a game against New Jersey when he crashed hard into the end boards during the third period. He favored his left arm and shoulder afterward.
In other NHL news:
— Chicago Blackhawks forward Jujhar Khaira could return when the team visits Nashville on Saturday. Khaira hasn’t played since he was stretchered off the ice following a big hit by New York Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba on Dec. 7. He spent the night in the hospital and the team cited the NHL’s concussion protocol when it placed him on injured reserve. The Blackhawks’ matchup with the Predators is their first game since Dec. 18.
