NHL Game Summary - Toronto at Tampa Bay
Tampa, FL (SportsNetwork.com) - Nikita Kucherov and Ryan Callahan netted first-period goals, while Ben Bishop halted 25 shots, as Tampa Bay slipped past Toronto by a 4-2 score on Thursday.
Vladislav Namestnikov and Alex Killorn each added a goal for the Lightning, winners in six of their last nine outings.
David Booth and Richard Panik supplied offense for the reeling Leafs, who were coming off a win at Florida on Tuesday which snapped a prolonged road drought.
Jonathan Bernier stopped 27 pucks in the loss.
Namestnikov put the hosts ahead by a 3-1 count just after the 6 1/2 minute mark of the third and Killorn provided a power-play marker with 4:46 remaining which put the game out of reach.
Panik's marker with 2:18 to play made the final score a bit more respectable for the Leafs, who failed to draw any closer when Kucherov was booked for high sticking with 1:49 left in regulation.
Kucherov struck less than 4 1/2 minutes into the contest and Callahan doubled Tampa's edge with some help from Steven Stamkos at 15:17.
Booth put Toronto on the board at even strength less than seven minutes into the second period by finishing off a 2-on-1 break.