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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- The Tampa Bay Lightning believe they are
contenders.
|  | | Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Wayne Primeau had a goal and assist in Sunday's win over the Capitals. |
Paul Mara ended a 10-game scoreless drought with two goals and
two assists as the Lightning beat the Washington Capitals 5-2
Sunday night.
Tampa Bay, which has lost at least 50 games the past three
seasons, has won two straight. It's the first winning streak since
a three-game run Feb. 21-26.
"We're the best kept secret in the NHL and we're proving that
now in the last two games," Mara said. "We're going to keep it
going. We got four points this weekend, and it's just the start of
great things for this team."
The Lightning, despite a 4-7-1-1 record, trail the Southeast
Division-leading Capitals (3-7-4-1) by just one point. Washington's
16-game divisional unbeaten streak, which included 13 wins, was
stopped.
Mara assisted on first period goals by Wayne Primeau, at 3:48,
and Mike Johnson, at 11:53. Mara's power-play goal at 19:12 gave
the Lightning a 3-0 lead, and came after Vincent Lecavalier's shot
ricocheted off the boards.
Andrei Nikolishin scored a power-play goal, and Steve
Konowalchuk added another score in a 1:40 span in the second period
as the Capitals closed to 3-2.
The Lightning secured the win when Mara and Sheldon Keefe scored
in an 18-second span midway through the third period.
"That's the turning point of a young team," Lightning coach
Steve Ludzik said. "To be able to realize you've lost the
momentum, but big deal."
Mara's goal came seconds after Tampa Bay goaltender Kevin Weekes
robbed Peter Bondra during a 2-on-1.
"When we play sound and take care of things in our own zone,
and we're committed to doing those things, the opportunities
offensively will present themselves," Weekes said.
Keefe's goal was the first in his eight-game NHL career.
Washington, which played its third road game in four days and
the seventh contest overall in 11 days, had won the previous five
meetings between the teams. The Capitals are 1-6-3 on the road.
"I think there's a lot of teams trying to find their way, and
unfortunately we're one of them," Captials defenseman Joe Reekie
said. "Tonight, I think we just hit the fatigue factor and they
took care of it."
Capitals goaltender Olaf Kolzig, who had allowed two goals or
less in four straight games, gave up three goals in the first
period on eight Tampa Bay shots.
Washington had killed 27 consecutive short-handed situations
before Mara's first period goal.
The Lightning played without their top two defenseman -- Petr
Svoboda (lower back strain) and Pavel Kubina (concussion). Craig
Millar (hip flexor), who scored a game-winning overtime goal Friday
against the New York Islanders, was also scratched.
Game notes
Notes:@ The six defensemen in the lineup for Tampa Bay have
appeared in a combined 752 games. In comparison, Reekie played in
his 787th game. ... Bondra, who has 33 goals in 34 games against
Tampa Bay, had an assist. ... Washington D Calle Johansson (back)
missed his second straight game. ... Tampa Bay D Andrei Zyuzin, who
was hit near the right eye by a stick Friday, returned and had two
assists.
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ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard
Washington Clubhouse
Tampa Bay Clubhouse
RECAPS
Los Angeles 4
NY Islanders 1
Tampa Bay 5
Washington 2
Edmonton 4
Columbus 2
Toronto 7
Boston 1
Minnesota 3
Calgary 2
Chicago 4
Anaheim 2
San Jose 2
Vancouver 2
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