Penguins lose as Eastern Conference playoff race tightens

Penguins Defenceman, Erik Karlsson (photo credit, @penguins x account)

By Matteo Ametrano 

TAMPA BAY-- Anthony Cirelli gets his second career hat trick, and the Tampa Bay Lightning scored five straight goals to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-3 at Benchmark International Arena. 

Cirelli's hat trick led the way, Nikita Kucherov had a three-point night as well with a goal and two assists, Braydon Point scored, and Zemgus Girgensons got the 100th goal of his career.

Jake Guentzal recorded two assists against his former team. 

Rickard Rakell scored his 21st of the season, and Egor Chinakhov scored his 19th, and then his 20th with one second left in the third in the losing effort for the Penguins.

Samuel Girard had two assists. 

Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 21 of the 24 shots he faced for his 36th win of the regular season. 

Despite making 27 stops, Stuart Skinner gave up five goals, with Tampa's sixth goal coming on with an empty net. 

Former Penguin Guentzal was all over the ice tonight in his two-assist game for the Lightning, including an assist on Point's game-winning goal. 

Anthony Cirellis short handed goal right at the start of the second period tied the game at two, and the Lightning looked a step faster than the Pens all night after the first period. 

Playoff Outlook 

Tampa Bay and Head Coach John Cooper recorded their second consecutive 100-point season with their two points at home tonight. The Lightning are now tied with the Buffalo Sabers in points as the race for the top of the Atlantic division tightens. 

For the Penguins, their loss tonight comes after consecutive big wins against the Islanders and Red Wings. Fortunately for the Pens, the Blue Jackets, who sit in the second wildcard position, lost 5-1 to Carolina tonight.

Pittsburgh still sits second in the Metropolitan. They will certainly be watching the Islanders-Flyers game on Friday night as the Isles can get one point back of the Pens with a win, and the Flyers look to remain alive in the wild-card race. 

The Penguins, with only six games remaining, have a day off on Friday, then have back-to-back games against the Panthers as their Florida road trip continues into the weekend.

Tampa will stay at home with a day off on Friday as well, then take on the visiting Bruins in a big Eastern Conference matchup.