Lightning chase Jacob Markstrom on the way to routing the Devils 8-4

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Nick Paul, Darren Raddysh and Pontus Holmberg each scored in the opening eight minutes to chase Jacob Markstrom, and the injury-depleted Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the New Jersey Devils 8-4 on Thursday night.

The Lightning have strung together consecutive victories following a four-game skid, which culminated with back-to-back shutout losses. Oliver Bjorkstrand had two goals, Jake Guentzel, Brandon Hagel and Brayden Point got one apiece and Nikita Kucherov recorded four assists as Tampa Bay combined to score 14 times in these two wins.

Jonas Johansson made 33 saves in his fifth start in a row in place of injured No. 1 goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, who is out at least two more games. Captain Victor Hedman joined Vasilevskiy and fellow defensemen Ryan McDonagh and Erik Cernak on injured reserve earlier Thursday after aggravating an undisclosed ailment earlier this week.

After coach Jon Cooper praised his short-handed team's all-around play other than saying, “We just haven’t been able to score,” the Lightning busted out offensively against Markstrom, who lasted just seven shots before getting pulled in favor of backup Jake Allen. Paul and Raddysh scored 51 seconds apart, and then Holmberg's weak backhander going in was enough for Sheldon Keefe to yank Markstrom for performance-related reasons for the first time this season.

Markstrom's save percentage fell to .875, which ranks 55th out of the 59 goalies who have appeared in at least nine games. Allen allowed five goals on 28 shots in relief. Luke Hughes, Jesper Bratt, Angus Crookshank and Paul Cotter scored for New Jersey, which has lost six of its past seven and nine of 14 since top center Jack Hughes had finger surgery.

Xavier Parent made his NHL debut for the Devils. Parent was called up to fill in for Timo Meier, who is taking a leave of absence to attend to a family health matter.

Lightning: Visit the New York Islanders on Saturday.

Devils: Host Anaheim on Saturday.

AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL

New Jersey Devils' Luke Hughes (43) attempts to steal the puck from Tampa Bay Lightning's Yanni Gourde (37) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

From left, Tampa Bay Lightning's Curtis Douglas (42), Nick Paul (20), Scott Sabourin (46) and Max Crozier (24) react after Paul scored against the New Jersey Devils during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

New Jersey Devils' Brenden Dillon (5) fights with Tampa Bay Lightning's Scott Sabourin (46) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

Tampa Bay Lightning's Jake Guentzel (59) reacts with Oliver Bjorkstrand (22) after scoring a goal against the New Jersey Devils during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

Outfielder Lane Thomas and the Kansas City Royals have agreed to a $5.25 million, one-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity Thursday because the agreement, first reported by The Athletic, was subject to a successful physical.

Thomas can earn an additional $1 million in performance bonuses.

He had nine RBIs for Cleveland in the 2024 AL Division Series against Detroit but hit .160 with four homers and 11 RBIs in 125 at-bats over 39 games this year in an injury-decimated season with Cleveland. He batted .268 for Washington in 2023, when he set career bests with 28 homers, 86 RBIs and 20 stolen bases.

Thomas didn't play between April 8 and 15 this year because of a bone bruise in his right wrist sustained when hit by a pitch from Shane Smith of the Chicago White Sox and between April 19 and May 22 because of the same injury. He was out between May 26 and June 9 due to plantar fasciitis in his right foot.

He played his last big league game of the season on July 4, then was sidelined again because of the foot injury, though he did appear in three Double-A games from Sept. 2-5 as part of an injury rehabilitation assignment. He has surgery on Sept. 23,

A year earlier, he hit a tiebreaking grand slam off Detroit ace Tarik Skubal in Game 5 on an AL Wild Card Series.

Thomas had a $7,825,000 salary in a one-year contract that avoided salary arbitration. He became a free agent last month.

Now 30, Thomas has a .242 average with 65 homers and 254 RBIs in seven seasons with St. Louis (2019-21), Washington (2021-24) and the Guardians, who acquired him from the Nationals ahead of the 2024 trade deadline for infielder José Tena, left-hander Alex Clemmey and infielder Rafael Ramirez Jr.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

FILE - Cleveland Guardians' Lane Thomas (8) celebrates after hitting a solo home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, July 2, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley, File)