Lightning rally late to beat Wild 6-3

Cernak scores go-ahead goal in final minutes as Tampa Bay storms back from two-goal deficit

Mar. 25, 2026 at 2:53am

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The Tampa Bay Lightning overcame a two-goal deficit in the third period, scoring five unanswered goals to defeat the Minnesota Wild 6-3 on Tuesday night. Defenseman Erik Cernak scored the go-ahead goal with under three minutes remaining after a wild carom off the boards caught Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson out of position.

Why it matters

The comeback win extends Tampa Bay's recent hot streak, as they've now won four of their last five games. For Minnesota, the loss is their fifth in the last seven games, as they continue to struggle to maintain leads and close out games.

The details

After Minnesota jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period and extended it to 3-1 in the second, Tampa Bay stormed back with three goals in the second period to tie the game. Darren Raddysh, Jake Guentzel, and Brandon Hagel all scored for the Lightning in the middle frame. In the third period, Cernak's late goal gave Tampa Bay the lead, and Pontus Holmberg added an empty-netter to seal the victory.

  • The game was played on Tuesday, March 24, 2026.
  • Cernak scored the go-ahead goal with 2:53 left in the third period.

The players

Erik Cernak

A defenseman for the Tampa Bay Lightning who scored the game-winning goal late in the third period.

Filip Gustavsson

The Minnesota Wild goaltender who misplayed a carom off the boards, leading to Cernak's decisive goal.

Andrei Vasilevskiy

The Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender who made 20 saves to earn the win, his fourth straight.

Vladimir Tarasenko

A Minnesota Wild forward who scored a goal and recorded an assist in the losing effort.

Brayden Point

A Tampa Bay Lightning forward who scored a goal in the comeback win.

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What they’re saying

“We knew we had to keep pushing and not get down on ourselves. The guys showed a lot of character to battle back and get this win.”

— Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender

What’s next

The Wild will look to bounce back when they visit the Florida Panthers on Thursday, while the Lightning host the Seattle Kraken the same night.

The takeaway

Tampa Bay's comeback victory showcases their resilience and ability to overcome deficits, a trait that could serve them well as they push for a playoff spot in the competitive Eastern Conference.