By MARK DIDTLER (Associated Press)
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Defenseman Darren Raddysh assisted in five goals as the Tampa Bay Lightning defeated Philadelphia 7-0 on Saturday night. This game saw angry Flyers coach John Tortorella reluctantly leaving the bench after being ejected in the first period.
During a night when the 2004 Stanley Cup-winning Lightning team that Tortorella coached was honored, he only lasted 10:49 into the game before receiving a bench minor and game misconduct. This was after Philadelphia fell behind 4-0.
Tortorella kept telling referees Wes McCauley and Brandon Schrader that he wouldn’t leave the bench, but after a couple minutes, he gave in.
Brad Shaw, the associate coach of Philadelphia, said, “Well, I think he was just trying to make a point that we felt like we might not been getting our fair shake. But you know, it’s an emotional game at times, and we all get elevated blood pressure.”
Tampa Bay's Victor Hedman scored twice and assisted in a goal. Andrei Vasilevskiy made 25 saves for his second shutout of the season and 34th overall. He is 14-4-0 with four shutouts against the Flyers.
Nicholas Paul, Conor Sheary, Brayden Point, Anthony Duclair, and Brandon Hagel also scored for the Lightning. Raddysh became the first Lightning defensemen to have three assists in the first period.
Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said, “A lot of things went our way.”
Steven Stamkos, captain of Tampa Bay, became the first Tampa Bay player with 300 multi-point games with two assists.
Philadelphia goalie Samuel Ersson was replaced by Felix Sandstrom after allowing four goals on 15 shots.
Flyers center Sean Couturier said, “It’s one game. Especially at this time of the year you lose 3-2 or 7-0, you lose two points in the standings. You just got to think about the next game and get those points back.”
Following a 6-3 loss to Calgary Thursday night that Cooper said was probably their worst game this season, Hedman, Paul, Sheary, and Point all scored in the opening 10:49 of the first. Tampa Bay’s top-ranked power play got goals from Paul and Point during the first period against the Flyers’ league-leading penalty-killing unit and finished 3 of 4.
Cooper said, “A good boost for the power play as well.”
Duclair, who was acquired in a trade from San Jose on Friday, had a second-period goal and an assist in the first.
Flyers defenseman Egor Zamula was unable to play due to illness. Philadelphia played with five defensemen and 13 forwards.
Tampa Bay defenseman Erik Cernak seemed to injure his right leg in the second period and left the game.
UP NEXT
Flyers: Host San Jose on Tuesday night.
Lightning: Complete a five-game homestand Thursday night against the New York Rangers.
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