Tampa, FL (Sports Network) – Stephen Weiss scored the only goal in a shootout, and the Florida Panthers rallied for a 4-3 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning.
None of the initial six skaters scored in the shootout, but Weiss was able to slip a backhand under the pads of Tampa Bay goaltender Dan Ellis.
Martin St. Louis blew a chance to extend the shootout for the Lightning when his wrister was stopped by Tomas Vokoun, ending the game.
Radek Dvorak, Dmitry Kulikov and Shawn Matthias scored goals in regulation as the Panthers rebounded from a 2-0 deficit midway through the game to snap a three-game losing streak.
Vokoun allowed a goal in each period but made 34 saves in the game.
Teddy Purcell and Dana Tyrell gave Tampa Bay its early lead and Sean Bergenheim tied the game at 3-3 late in the third period, but the Lightning still suffered their second straight loss on the heels of a five-game winning streak.
Ellis allowed three goals on 27 shots.
This was the 24th game of the season and the first shootout the Lightning have been involved in this year, making it the second-longest span of games in franchise history to open the season without one. In 2007, the Lightning didn’t go into a shootout until the 27th game of the season, a game they won 4-3 over the Ottawa Senators. The Lightning are 1-2 in overtime games this season and 0-1 in shootouts.