Lightning 3 Hurricanes 2

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Vincent Lecavalier and Dan Boyle scored just under two-minutes apart early in the third period to lead the Tampa Bay Lightning past the Carolina Hurricanes 3-to-2 last night.

With the win, Tampa Bay pulls to within one point of Southeast Division-leading Atlanta.

Ray Whitney and Rod Brind'Amour scored for Carolina, which is poised to become the first defending Stanley Cup champion to miss the playoffs the next season since New Jersey in 1996.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)