Red Wings outlast Lightning for 1-0 victory in shootout

<p>DETROIT &mdash; Sam Gagner scored to end an eight-round shootout and Thomas Greiss stopped 33 shots, lifting the Detroit Red Wings to a 1-0 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday.</p>
<p>The defending Stanley Cup champion Lightning were in control all afternoon, but it didn’t show up on the scoreboard in regulation or overtime.</p>
<p>In the shootout, both teams scored with their first two shooters before four in a row were denied. Greiss stopped just enough shots in the shootout to help his rebuilding and banged-up team beat one of the best in the league.</p>
<p>Tampa Bay’s Curtis McElhinney made 15 saves over three periods and overtime. </p>
<p>Detroit’s defense was stingy throughout the game, including early in the first when Danny DeKeyser lay on the ice to take away a scoring chance for the Lightning. When the pucks did get past the Red Wings’ skaters, Greiss stopped them with some impressive kick and glove saves.</p>
<p>Tampa Bay also missed opportunities such as Ondrej Palat failing to take advantage of having the puck and an open net at the end of a 2-on-1 rush during a 4-on-4 situation.</p>
<p>It looked like the Lightning had finally broken the scoreless tie midway through the third period, but Palat made contact with Greiss to negate a goal that Detroit challenged successfully.</p>
<p>Detroit was called for two penalties in a 14-second stretch late in the third, giving the Lightning a 5-on-3 power play and they still couldn’t take advantage. Palat had the best shot to score during the power play, but Greiss went low and to his right to deny him.</p>
<p>The Red Wings went on the power play with 3:37 to go and the extra skater did not help them break the tie late in regulation.</p>
<p>RACE TO FIRST</p>
<p>Tampa Bay could finish first, second or third in the Central, the only division that had more than one team with 70-plus points when play began on Saturday.</p>
<p>The Lightning are vying with Florida and Carolina for the top spot in the division with a little more than week left in the season.</p>
<p>WHAT’S NEXT </p>
<p>Tampa Bay plays at Detroit on Saturday afternoon, shooting to take advantage of playing one of the NHL’s worst teams before closing with playoff-contending Dallas at home and the Panthers on the road to perhaps decide the division.</p>
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