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Jason Zucker scores in OT, Penguins beat Lightning 5-4

TAMPA, Fla. — Jason Zucker scored his second goal of the game 2:13 into overtime, and the Pittsburgh Penguins completed a three-game season sweep of the Tampa Bay Lightning with a 5-4 victory Thursday night.

Zucker was wide-open in the slot and one-timed a shot past Andrei Vasilevskiy. The Penguins moved into the first wild card playoff berth in the Eastern Conference, a point ahead of the New York Islanders.

Defenseman Jeff Petry scored twice in 25 seconds, Drew O’Connor also scored and Tristan Jarry made 27 saves for the Penguins. They have won four in a row overall — including a 7-3 victory over the Lightning in Pittsburgh on Sunday.

Ross Colton, Brayden Point, Steven Stamkos and Victor Hedman scored, and Andrei Vasilevskiymade 27 saves for the Lightning. They’ve lost three in a row.

Petry tied it at 1 at 6:06 of the second period with a screened shot from the top of the right circle that went through the legs of Vasilevskiy, then put the Penguins ahead at 6:31 from the lower left circle.

Point got the Lightning even at 2 and extended his goals streak to six games at 9:39 when he scored his 38th of the season and 15th on the power play.

Zucker put the Penguins ahead 3-2 with 4:54 left in the second period with a breakaway goal. But the Lightning tied it 39 seconds into the third when Stamkos scored a second after a power play expired.

O’Connor’s goal at 6:39 of the third period put Pittsburgh in front for the thirs time, but Hedman’s wrist shot past Jarry with 4:10 left in regulation tied the game again.

The Lightning took a 1-0 lead at 5:39 of the first period when Tanner Jeannot’s shot from the slot hit Pittsburgh defenseman Kris Letang in the face, then caromed off Colton and rolled into the net. Letang left the ice and did not return until late in the second period.

UP NEXT

Penguins: At Florida on Saturday night.

Lightning: At Buffalo on Saturday.

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