Lightning strikes again to extend win streak to five with win over Utah

After a slow start to the 2025 season, the Tampa Bay Lightning came into Utah for game 12 of the season on a four-game win streak that included two thrilling overtime wins. They were looking to keep that big energy alive as they took on the Mammoths of Utah at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Sunday.

It was a back and forth offensive battle and a very even game between the two teams.

Utah struck first in the first period on a snap shot goal by Lawson Crouse 5:55 into the period. He was assisted by Ian Cole with his fourth assist of the season.

Less than ten minutes later, Yanni Gourde put a snap shot through the net to tie it back up for the Lightning. The shot that tied it up 1-1 was assisted by Emil Lilleberg on his first assist of the season, along with Zemgus Girgensons’ first assist as well.

As the second period got under way, the Lightning took their first lead of the day 2:47 into the period. Anthony Cirelli took a slap shot to give the Lightning the lead. He was assisted by Jake Guentzel and Victor Hedman.

But the mammoth kept things close and when the third period got under way, they did what Tampa Bay did in the second period and tied the game up quick in the third. Kailer Yamamoto scored on a snap shot that was assisted by Cole and it was a 2-2 game in the final period of regulation.

The man of the match, Guentzel put the Lightning back on top just over half way into the third on an unassisted snap shot that made it a 3-2 Tampa lead and gave him his second point of the day as he had a goal and an assist on a great day on the ice for him.

Brandon Hagel then joined in on the goal party with just 16 seconds left in regulation. On an empty net he rushed for a wrist shot that extended the Lightning’s lead and put the nail in the Mammoth’s coffin as it was a 4-2 Tampa Bay lead with seconds left. He was assisted by Ryan McDonagh with his third assist of the 2025 season.

The Lightning never looked back on their lead after the third goal as they did what they went to Utah to do as they went on to defeat the Mammoth 4-2 victory for their fifth straight win to keep the streak alive.

Utah made it a heck of a match, however. They out-shot the Lightning by just one, with 27 shots on goal compared to the Lightning who had 26 shots on goal. The Mammoth won 55.7 percent of the face offs, while Tampa won 44.3 percent. The Mammoth had 19 hits, the Lightning had 16; Utah had 13 blocked shots, Tampa had 14; Utah had 15 giveaways and six takeaways, while the Lightning had 14 giveaways and three takeaways. It was a very even matchup that came down to a very exciting third period.

But it was Tampa Bay who came out on top in the 4-2 win over Utah.

The Lightning (5-4-2) return to the ice on Tuesday night at 9:30PM EST against the Colorado Avalanche (7-1-5) in Colorado.