Girgensons Gets Season-High Ice Time as Tampa Bay Beats Columbus

In a National Hockey League (NHL) regular-season game, Latvian forward Zemgus Girgensons of the Tampa Bay Lightning raised his season high in ice time for a second game in a row. Tampa Bay won 3-1 on the road against the Columbus Blue Jackets. In another game, Latvian forward Sandis Vilmanis returned from injury to the Florida Panthers lineup, and Florida beat the Detroit Red Wings 5-4 at home.

Girgensons plays more than 21 minutes

Girgensons played 21 minutes and 32 seconds, 3 minutes and 31 seconds more than the previous night in Buffalo, where he had set his earlier season best. He took 25 shifts, had one shot on goal, blocked three shots and won seven of 17 faceoffs. He finished without a point. Among Tampa Bay forwards, only Jake Guentzel played more, by three seconds.

It was one of the longest ice times of Girgensons' career. He has played in the NHL since the 2014-15 season, and only eight games have featured more ice time. His career high is 23 minutes and 54 seconds, set on 28 November 2014.

The game in Columbus

Brandon Hagel opened the scoring in the third minute, assisted by Nikita Kucherov, and Matthew Knies equalised on the power play, ending a 15-game goalless streak. Tampa Bay scored the winner early in the third period, when the puck went in after a shot by Guentzel. Hagel made it 3-1 in the eighth minute. He finished with two goals and an assist, and Dennis Hildeby stopped 28 shots. Tampa Bay won for the fifth time in six games, and it was Columbus' third straight loss.

Vilmanis returns, Florida comes back

Vilmanis had missed the game against Columbus with an upper-body injury and played 13 minutes and two seconds. He recorded no points and had a plus-minus of -2. Florida came back from 4-1 down and won for the first time this season after trailing by three goals. Anton Lundell scored twice, including the go-ahead goal. Detroit lost for the fifth time in a row.