Late scratch

Victor Hedman scored twice and had three points to lead Tampa Bay to a 6-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets

Captain Victor Hedman was scratched late despite taking line rushes and warming up with the team ahead of the Lightning’s showdown against the Boston Bruins on Saturday afternoon.

The Tampa Bay Lightning are the hottest team in the NHL. They've won eight games in a row sandwiched around the 4 Nations Face-Off and last lost on Feb. 1.

Tampa Bay brings calm to a wide-open contest in the third period and rallies to win for the 10th time in 11 games.

The Lightning needed less than 90 seconds in period two before ballooning their lead, as Jake Guentzel redirected a Victor Hedman pass near the blue paint. Tampa Bay’s captain extended the Lightning lead with his windup shot from the left wall that bounced off a Columbus player and beat Merzlikins in the top left corner of the net.

Jake Guentzel had a hat trick, Oliver Bjorkstrand scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period, and Tampa Bay Lightning rallied for a 6-5 victory over the Buffalo Sabres.

The Tampa Bay Lightning lost top defenseman and captain Victor Hedman to injury during Thurdsay night’s wild 6-5 victory over the Buffalo Sabres at Amalie Arena; he managed to play less than ...