Killorn scores 3 as Lightning beat Capitals 6-3

Alex Killorn scored three goals for his first career hat trick, and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Washington Capitals 6-3 Saturday night in the teams' first meeting since last year's Eastern Conference finals.

Tampa Bay set team records for wins (55) and points (114) in a season, becoming the 12th team in league history to get at least 55 victories in a season.

Erik Cernak, Yanni Gourde and Tyler Johnson also scored for the Lightning, and Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 30 shots.

Tampa Bay Lightning Tyler Johnson (9) and Brayden Point (21) celebrate Johnson's first period goal as Washington Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby (70) watches the replay during an NHL hockey game Saturday, March 16, 2019, in Tampa, Fla. (AP PhotoJason Behnken)

Alex Ovechkin scored twice to give him 48 on the season, John Carlson also scored and Braden Holtby finished with 29 saves for Washington. The Capitals remained two points ahead of the New York Islanders atop the Metropolitan Division.

Killorn, who entered the game with 13 goals on the season, capped off the hat trick with an empty-netter with 47 seconds left. Gourde capped the scoring with another empty-netter 45 seconds later.

The Lightning jumped on the Capitals quickly as Brayden Point set up Johnson on a 2-on-1 at 8:35 of the first. Killorn made it 2-0as he sent the puck from the boards toward the front of the net where it bounced off Washington defenseman Dmitry Orlov and past Holtby at 10:33.

Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) makes a save during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals Saturday, March 16, 2019, in Tampa, Fla. (AP PhotoJason Behnken)

Carlson cut the deficit in half as a blocked shot bounced out to the right point where he stepped into a one-timer for his 12th at 12:06.

Killorn answered that as he forced his way up the ice and outmuscled Michal Kempny for an initial shot before putting his own rebound with 4:04 left in the period to make it 3-1.

After the Lightning failed to convert on 1:28 of 5-on-3 power play time, 42 seconds of which carried over into the second period, the Capitals struck on the power play after Carlson's shot deflected off T.J. Oshie in the high slot and landed right in the path of Ovechkin for a quick wrist shot to make it 3-2 at 7:33.

Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) shoots during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Tampa Bay Lightning Saturday, March 16, 2019, in Tampa, Fla. (AP PhotoJason Behnken)

Ovechkin got his 246th career power-play goal, tying Hall of Famer Phil Esposito for fifth place on the all-time list.

Cernak regained Tampa Bay's two-goal lead with his fourth of the season, coming open down the right circle before snapping a shot through Holtby's legs at 2:45 of the third. Ovechik scored his second of the night off a carom from Orlov's shot off the end boards to cut the Lightning lead to 4-3 at 12:56.

NOTES: Lightning D Dan Girardi (lower body) and D Anton Stralman (lower body) each missed their third consecutive game after neither took part in the full morning skate. ... Washington D Nick Jensen appeared in his 200th career game. ... Tampa Bay D Mikhail Sergachev left the game in the first period after taking a hit from Washington RW Tom Wilson along the boards but returned to start the second. ... Ovechkin has 655 career goals, one shy of tying Brendan Shanahan for 13th place on the all-time list.

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman (77) skates away as Washington Capitals Nicklas Backstrom (19), Alex Ovechkin (8) and Evgeny Kuznetsov (92) celebrate Ovechkin's goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, March 16, 2019, in Tampa, Fla. (AP PhotoJason Behnken)

UP NEXT

Lightning: Host Arizona on Monday night.

Capitals: At New Jersey on Tuesday night.

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Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Ondrej Palat (18) handles the puck against Washington Capitals left wing Carl Hagelin (62) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, March 16, 2019, in Tampa, Fla. (AP PhotoJason Behnken)

Washington Capitals defenseman Dmitry Orlov (9) steals the puck from Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Alex Killorn (17) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, March 16, 2019, in Tampa, Fla. (AP PhotoJason Behnken)

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Jan Rutta (44) blocks a shot from Washington Capitals center Travis Boyd (72) during the third period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, March 16, 2019, in Tampa, Fla. (AP PhotoJason Behnken)