Wings sweep Lightning on Perron's late goal, surpass last year's points total

Time is running out on the Red Wings but they kept their playoff hopes alive with a 4-2 victory against the Lightning Monday in Tampa.

David Perron scored a rebound goal at 17 minutes, 20 seconds of the third period, backhanding a puck past goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy and Lucas Raymond added an empty-net goal to clinch the victory.

Perron put back a point shot by Moritz Seider, outmuscling two Lightning defenders to a scoring spot.

The victory completed a three-game season sweep of the powerful Lightning, the first time the Wings have swept a season-series of three or more game against Tampa.

"Good win, but it's all it is, one game," coach Derek Lalonde told Bally Sports Detroit. "We battled and battled to stay in this fight. We're still in it. Now we have to keep taking care of business and we have an opportunity Friday (at home against the New York Rangers)."

The Wings (37-30-8) moved to 82 points tying Washington though the Capitals hold the second wild-card position in the Eastern Conference because they've played two fewer game. Philadelphia, who lost 4-3 in overtime to the New York Islanders, moved to 83 points and take over the third place in the Metropolitan Division. The Islanders have 79 points and Pittsburgh lingering with 77.

BOX SCORE: Red Wings 4, Lightning 2

Robby Fabbri broke a 1-1 tie at 3 minutes, 40 seconds of the third period, his 18th goal.

J.T. Compher drove the puck down the ice but lost control of the puck in front of Vasilevskiy. But Fabbri, trailing on the play, pounced on the loose puck and slipped it past the big goalie giving the Wings a 2-1 lead.

But the Wings' lead was short-lived. Andrew Copp's boarding penalty put Tampa on the power play, and the Lightning's potent unit was quick to convert.

Steven Stamkos one-timed a pass from Brayden Point (Stamkos' 31st goal) after Nikita Kucherov (85th assist) started the play on the flank, tying the game 2-2 at 5:59.

After killing the previous two Tampa power plays, the Wings couldn't make it three in a row. The Wings didn't want to give Tampa many opportunities on the man advantage.

But the Wings did a good job of their own getting to the net and getting the "greasy" goals they have been lacking on this five-game road trip.

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"We had some hard goals tonight which is a good sign," Lalonde said. "I'm proud of the guys. It's been a huge up and down type of season. A lot of adversity and we keep hanging in the fight, which is a good sign."

Patrick Kane (18th goal) and Tampa's Anthony Cirelli (shorthanded) traded second-period goals. Cirelli actually had two potential goals waved off by officials, and confirmed by video, before finally scoring one that counted. It was Cirelli's 19th goal.

Goaltender Alex Lyon made 34 saves and Vasilevskiy 29 for the Lightning. Lyon won his first decision in the last 10 games.

"Even when things weren't going his way, he stuck with it and had a great attitude and supported whoever was in for us," captain Dylan Larkin told Bally Sports Detroit. "The last game (Saturday) against Florida he was unbelievable and again tonight. We're going to need whoever is in net to be kicking and he has the last two nights."

The Wings concluded this difficult five-game road trip 1-2-2, earning four of a possible 10 points They now begin a three-game homestand Friday against the New York Rangers.

"It's huge to get the win on the road," Larkin said. "We desperately needed it. We're going back home for three (games) and it doesn't get any easier against the Rangers (leading the Eastern Coference) but we've been building our game and playing that way, playing playoff hockey for a while now and it's nice to get the result."

The Wings have earned points in three of their last four games (1-1-2) and surpassed last year's points total (80).

The Wings had another effective first period, leaving the opening 20 minutes 0-0 after killing two Tampa power plays (the Lightning killed one power play). Vasilevskiy made a couple of key saves to keep the Wings off the scoreboard, turning away Jake Walman driving in from the point and Lucas Raymond on a partial breakaway.

It didn't take long for the Wings to get on the board in the second period, with Kane again making a big play.

Kane drifted toward a rebound to the side of Vasilevskiy, and while skating away from the net, Kane lifted a backhand over Vasilevskiy only 37 seconds into the second period.

The Wings survived two Cirelli apparent goals that were deemed not so.

On the first, Cirelli bowled into Lyon off a rush before the goal crossed the goal line. Dylan Larkin appeared to possibly have contact with Cirelli who slid into Lyon. On the second no-goal, a shorthanded goal by Cirelli that looked to slip through Lyon at the post wasn't clear on video.

“We knew we’d be up against it with this road trip and the type of competition we’d be playing," Lalonde said. "We're going through all playoff teams, three legit Stanley Cup contenders on the road. We haven't been great on the road of late. Our goal is to scratch and claw for every point.”

tkulfan@detroitnews.com

@tkulfan