Thursday, January 9, 2020 07:00 PM (ET)

Lightning extend win streak behind Vasilevskiy's shutout

Field Level Media
Jan 9, 2020

Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy posted 25 saves for his first shutout this season as Tampa Bay improved its league-best winning streak to nine games with a 4-0 victory over the visiting Arizona Coyotes on Thursday.

The stretch of victories is tied for the second-longest in franchise history. The club is one win away from matching its longest streak ever, which it achieved last February. Its last loss was a 3-1 defeat in Washington to the Capitals on Dec. 21.

The Lightning also continued their dominance against the Pacific Division by stretching their point streak to nine games (8-0-1).

Vasilevskiy won for the 21st time this season. The Vezina Trophy winner has recorded seven consecutive wins and is 12-2-1 since December.

Nikita Kucherov scored twice, Alex Killorn notched his team-high tying 18th tally and Mikhail Sergachev netted a goal for the Lightning, who are 14-7-2 at home.

Steven Stamkos assisted on two to give him 400 helpers for his career, and Cedric Paquette and Pat Maroon each contributed a pair of assists.

Arizona's Adin Hill stopped 30 shots in his second start his this season -- two nights after making 37 saves in a 5-2 road win over the Florida Panthers.

The Coyotes lost for the first time in five contests and dropped to 14-7-3 on the road. This was the third time this season they were shut out.

Maroon worked behind the net with the puck and flipped a backhander onto Hill, and Killorn grabbed the rebound and popped in his ninth goal in his last 11 games at 15:06 for a 1-0 lead.

A fluky goal by Sergachev made it 2-0 when his centering pass clipped the left skate of Arizona defenseman Jordan Oesterle and hopped over Hill at 18:24. The marker was Sergachev's seventh, and his first in the last eight games.

A turnover in the neutral zone led to quick passes from Stamkos and Brayden Point, with the puck ending up on the stick of Kucherov in the right circle. The right winger rifled home a shot at 6:15 of the second period to make it 3-0.

Kucherov added to the advantage when he potted his 17th goal from a tight angle less than three minutes later, finishing a slick dish from Stamkos.

Vasilevskiy made seven saves in the third to preserve his 19th career shutout.

--Field Level Media

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