Unser Chat » find themselves battling in the post-season

TAMPA, Fla. -- Having completed their regular-season series, the Tampa Bay Lightning and Montreal Canadiens soon could find themselves battling in the post-season. Tyler Johnson scored the go-ahead goal on a short-handed breakaway late in the third period and the Lightning clinched a playoff berth with a 3-1 victory over the Canadiens on Tuesday night. "Just being in the right spot and getting lucky sometimes," Johnson said. The win and losses by New Jersey and Washington gave Tampa Bay its first post-season berth since 2011 and only its second in seven years. Montreal ended a five-game winning streak, but also qualified for the post-season by virtue of the losses by New Jersey and Washington. Canadiens goalie Carey Price took some consolation in advancing to the post-season. "Were disappointed with our game today, but big picture, weve got to be happy with that," he said. The win moved Tampa Bay, with a game in hand, into a second-place tie with Montreal in the Atlantic Division. The second- and third-place teams in each division will meet in the first round of the playoffs. "Its just one game, but its really the 76 games all bottled into one," Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said. "What you are really striving for is to win the Stanley Cup, but you cannot win the Cup if you dont get into the playoffs." With teammate Nate Thompson serving a minor penalty for boarding, Johnson picked up a loose puck near the Montreal blue line, skated in on Price and backhanded a shot inside the left post with 7:19 remaining in the game. Canadiens right wing Brendan Gallagher was on one knee in the low slot when he redirected a rebound past goalie Ben Bishop to open the scoring 10:18 into the first period. Ryan Callahan made it 1-1 on a power play 9:19 into the second, skating through the left circle toward Price and lifting a shot high into the net. Tampa Bay was on a power play when Alex Killorn closed out the scoring with an empty-netter with 45 seconds left in the third period. Bishop finished with 25 saves, while Price stopped 30 shots. Tampa Bay winger Teddy Purcell slammed a shot past Price with 11.7 seconds left in the second period, but the officials ruled forward J.T. Brown made contact with the goaltender and disallowed the goal. The call drew an angry response from Tampa Bay fans after a replay appeared on the video screen. The crowd also became irate when Montreals Douglas Murray drew a match penalty for an illegal check to the head of fellow defenceman Michael Kostka, setting up a 5-on-3 advantage for the Lightning with 2:13 left in the game. "If the crowds reaction was anything after they saw it, then it seems that it was illegal," Cooper said. "Those are the hits you want to take out of the game. Im sure Murray wasnt looking to hit him in the head." Lightning forward Ondrej Palat, who earlier in the day was named the top NHL rookie for the second time in three months, assisted on the goals by Callahan and Killorn. NOTES: Tampa Bay C Valtteri Filppula, who came in with the longest points streak in the league at 12 games, came up empty. . Montreal C Tomas Plekanec returned after missing one game for personal reasons. . The home team won for the first time in the four-game season series. Lightning captain Steven Stamkos was sidelined with a broken leg for the first three games, each of which went to overtime tied at 1. . Price came in victorious in nine of his 10 previous starts. Bishop improved to 8-1-1 in his last 10. Aqib Talib Rams Jersey .com) - DAngelo Harrison posted 21 points to guide No. Ndamukong Suh Jersey . Speaking on Leafs Lunch with Bryan Hayes and Jamie McLennan on Thursday, Bernier said it was "very hard" at times being entrenched behind Jonathan Quick and is now excited at the prospect of getting an opportunity to compete with Reimer for the top spot with the Leafs. http://www.laramsfootballshops.com/aqib-talib-jersey/ . Defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, the Houston Texans No. 1 pick in the draft, was on the field Tuesday for the first time with former NFL Defensive Player of the Year J. Joseph Noteboom Rams Jersey . "I was so nervous," Hadley said Sunday after winning the Puerto Rico Open for his first PGA Tour victory. "I did not eat well last night. Ramik Wilson Jersey . Trailing 5-4 in the third set, the 12th-ranked Isner fought off two match points and evened it at 5-5 with consecutive aces. The former University of Georgia star had his only service break of the match to go up 6-5 before firing the last four of his 30 aces to close out Ginepri, an Atlanta resident ranked 281st.A coaching change hasnt helped the Edmonton Oilers end their losing ways. Things likely wont get any easier Sunday when the Oilers look to avoid a seventh consecutive defeat and halt their home struggles against the Dallas Stars, who will try for a season-high fourth straight victory. Oilers centre Leon Draisaitl will be a healthy scratch. A pair of one-goal losses since Mondays firing of coach Dallas Eakins has shown Edmonton (7-20-6) remains competitive, but hasnt done much to lower the frustration level. Close isnt good enough, said forward Boyd Gordon, who scored the first goal of Thursdays 4-3 loss at San Jose. Were struggling to win games the whole season and (Thursdays) a prime example of that. Mired in a 1-12-5 stretch, the Oilers do have something positive to build on after scoring more than two goals for the first time in nine games and holding a 3-2 lead after two periods against the red-hot Sharks. I thought our guys went to the net hard, Gordon told the Oilers official website. Look at our goals, they were hard-working goals. If we continue to do that, itll continue to happen where the bounces go our way. Interim coach Todd Nelson likes the encouragement he hears amongst the players on the bench, and like Gordon, agrees the Oilers prolonged struggles arent due to a lack of effort. I thought we competed hard (Thursday), said Nelson, who was in his fifth season coaching Edmontons AHL affiliate in Oklahoma City before the promotion. I thought we scored goals the way we have to. It was a good effort by everybody. Its a start and a moove in the right direction.dddddddddddd Putting 60 minutes together, (though), there were a few lapses there - those things happen. The Oilers have suffered too many lapses at home, where it has lost 10 of 11 while averaging 1.63 goals. Dallas (13-13-5) has won five straight in Edmonton by a combined 16-5 score and enters this visit looking to complete a perfect three-game road trip. The Stars are also seeking a fourth win in a row overall, which would mark their longest winning streak since a five-game run in April 2013. Jamie Benn had a goal with an assist and Kari Lehtonen made 21 saves in Fridays 2-1 victory at Calgary. Its been nice to play a few good games in a row now, Lehtonen told the Stars official website after making his fifth straight start. That gives confidence to everybody. Lehtonen has stopped 48 of 49 shots on the trip following a 2-2-1 stretch during which he posted a 3.82 goals-against average. Hes been great, teammate Trevor Daley said. Hes challenging the shots a lot more, hes coming out to the top of his crease. Hes doing what he does. Lehtonen has an 0.99 GAA and one shutout during a five-game winning streak at Edmonton. He beat the Oilers for the 12th time in 15 overall starts after making 35 saves in a 3-2 home victory Nov. 25. Dallas Tyler Seguin scored two of his league-leading 23 goals in that contest. He has four goals with two assists in five games against the Oilers. Edmontons Taylor Hall hasnt recorded a goal in a career-high 11 straight contests since scoring in last months loss to the Stars. Blackhawks Jerseys Store Cheap Wild Jerseys Cheap Red Wings Jerseys Cheap Maple Leafs Jerseys Penguins Jerseys Store Capitals Jerseys For Sale Blues Jerseys Store Cheap Kings Jerseys Adidas Lightning Jerseys Stars Jerseys For Sale Cheap Predators Jerseys Ducks Store Sharks Jerseys For Sale Cheap Sabres Jerseys Rangers Jerseys For Sale ' ' '