OTTAWA, March 1 (UPI) -- Vincent Lecavalier scored a highlight-reel goal to snap a tie and Nikolai Khabibulin made 30 saves Saturday night as the Tampa Bay Lightning held on for a 2-1 victory over the league-leading Ottawa Senators.
After opening the season with 10 wins in their first 17 games, the Lightning went through a mid-season swoon, jeopardizing their chances for what would be the second playoff berth in franchise history.
But coming into the game with a 5-1-2 record in its last eight outings, Tampa Bay rallied for its first win in Ottawa since Dec. 13, 1997.
Jody Hull finished a pretty passing play 10 minutes into the second period to give the Senators the lead, but Martin St. Louis netted just his second goal in 13 games 3 1/2 minutes later to even the contest.
With 55 seconds left in the period, Lecavalier took a drop pass from former Senator Vaclav Prospal above the right faceoff circle, put the puck between the legs of Magnus Arvedson while cutting to the slot and wristed a shot past goaltender Patrick Lalime's glove to put Tampa Bay ahead.
Khabibulin turned aside 10 shots in the first period and 11 in the third to improve to 5
1 in his last six starts after a disappointing first three quarters of the season.
