Tampa Bay Lightning Edge Dallas Stars in Dramatic Shootout
Photo Credit: Glenn James/NHLI via Getty Images
On March 20, 2025, the Tampa Bay Lightning faced the Dallas Stars at the American Airlines Center, ultimately securing a 3-2 win following a thrilling shootout. This victory marks the Lightning’s third consecutive win.
Game Overview
Gage Goncalves was the hero for Tampa Bay, scoring the decisive goal in the fourth round of the shootout. This came after other key contributions from Brandon Hagel and Anthony Cirelli, each of whom recorded one goal and one assist.
In contrast, the Stars saw goals from Oskar Back and Mason Marchment, though they suffered the end of an impressive eight-game home winning streak. Dallas’ Casey DeSmith made 36 saves, tying his career high, but his winning streak of six games came to a halt.
Scoring Breakdown
- Hagel opened the scoring for Tampa Bay in the first period.
- Cirelli extended the Lightning’s lead to 2-0 with a rebound goal at 7:20 of the second.
- Back responded for Dallas just 38 seconds later, deflecting a shot to ignite their comeback.
- Marchment leveled the game at 2-2 with a last-second goal on a power play.
Key Moments
A crucial moment occurred when Vasilevskiy, the Lightning’s goalkeeper, made an impressive point-blank save on Wyatt Johnston with only 20 seconds remaining in regulation. This pivotal save helped carry the game into overtime and ultimately secured the Lightning’s victory in the shootout.
Statistics to Note
Vasilevskiy had a standout performance, blocking 22 shots through both overtime and the shootout. Notably, he holds a strong record of 15-4-3 against the Stars in regular-season matchups, having previously helped the Lightning defeat Dallas in the 2020 Stanley Cup Final.
Next Games
Looking ahead, the Tampa Bay Lightning will travel to Utah to continue their season. Meanwhile, the Dallas Stars will host the Philadelphia Flyers in their next match-up.
Injury Updates
The Lightning faced additional challenges during the game, beginning with 11 forwards and seven defensemen. They lost Zemgus Girgensons early in the third period due to a hard hit, and Ryan McDonagh exited in the final moments after being hit by the puck.
Streaks and Records
In this match, Wyatt Johnston’s impressive 15-game point streak at home came to an end, falling just one game short of matching Mike Modano’s franchise record.
