In their last game of the season at the Tampa Bay Times Forum, the Tampa Bay Lighting rode Steven Stamkos over the final three minutes to defeat the Washington Capitals 4-2. Veteran goaltender Dwayne Roloson, in perhaps his final game at the Forum, had one of his strongest performances in an otherwise struggle-filled season, pulling off his save of the year in the second period on a glove stop of a Mike Green shot.
The Bolts scored two goals in a span of 25 second in the second period to take a 2-1 lead over the Caps. Teddy Purcell snuck a wrist shot under the right pad of Washington goaltender Michal Neuvirth. He took a nice cross-ice pass from Stamkos and quickly got off the shot. Then, on the very next shift, Victor Hedman sent a rocket from the point that Neuvirth never saw with Tom Pyatt setting up a screen in front.
Jason Chimera tied it for Washington with 3:17 left in the game, scoring his 20th of the season. Alexander Semin fired a shot at Roloson from the right wing which ricocheted to the right and Chimera rushed to the far post to punch it in and tie it at 2-2.
Stamkos, however, would immediately put the Bolts back on top beating Michal Neuvirth off a rebound in front for his 57th goal of the season. It was the 12 game-winning goal this season for Stamkos and he would add another with a nice empty-netter lofted from the bad angle on one knee along the boards. Roloson did the dirty work to keep the Bolts in it and then Stamkos cleaned it up in the final period to send the Bolts out with a win at home.
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