PHILADELPHIA (Interstat) — The Tampa Bay Lightning routed the Philadelphia Flyers 5-1 on Monday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena, sweeping a two-game set in Philadelphia. Pontus Holmberg scored just 1:10 into the game to set the tone. After Jake Guentzel made it 2-0 early in the second, Philadelphia’s Christian Dvorak briefly cut the deficit. Tampa Bay then overwhelmed the Flyers with three more goals, including markers from Brandon Hagel, Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov. Hagel, with a goal and an assist, was the top star. Jonas Johansson made 20 saves for the Lightning, who improved to 28-16. Daniel Vladar stopped 21 shots for the Flyers, who fell to 22-22 before an announced crowd of 19,489. The game featured 13 penalties, including multiple fights and misconducts in the third period.

PHILADELPHIA (Interstat) — The Tampa Bay Lightning delivered a decisive and comprehensive road performance, overwhelming the Philadelphia Flyers 5-1 on Monday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena to sweep a two-game set and extend their winning streak to five games. A crowd of 19,489 watched as the Lightning, fueled by a dominant second period and a balanced scoring attack, improved to 28-16. The Flyers, who have lost three straight, fell to 22-22. The most important segment of the game unfolded in the middle frame, transforming a competitive contest into a rout. Leading 1-0 after a first-period goal from Pontus Holmberg, Tampa Bay seized control with a three-goal outburst in the second. The surge began just 33 seconds into the period when Jake Guentzel deflected a point shot from Erik Cernak past Flyers goaltender Daniel Vladar for his 20th goal of the season. Philadelphia briefly showed life when Christian Dvorak cut the deficit to 2-1 midway through the period, beating Lightning netminder Jonas Johansson on a wrist shot. Any momentum for the home team was swiftly extinguished by Tampa Bay’s relentless pressure and superior special teams. On a power play later in the period, Brayden Point restored the two-goal cushion. He collected a loose puck in the slot after a shot from Oliver Bjorkstrand and buried a backhand past Vladar at the 8:29 mark, making it 3-1. The Lightning power play struck again before the period ended. With just 1:31 left on the clock, Brandon Hagel took a cross-ice pass from Nikita Kucherov and snapped a wrist shot into the net for his 22nd goal, effectively putting the game out of reach at 4-1. Hagel, named the game’s top star, finished with a goal and an assist, continuing a torrid stretch of play. The left wing from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, has recorded points in five consecutive games, tallying four goals and four assists over that span. Tampa Bay’s offensive depth was on full display, with five different players scoring goals and nine registering at least one point. Kucherov, the league’s reigning scoring champion from Maikop, Russia, capped the scoring with a third-period goal, his 23rd of the season, and added an assist. Defenseman Darren Raddysh, a Toronto native, contributed two assists and was a physical presence with three shots and a hit. Johansson, the towering goaltender from Gavle, Sweden, was a steadying force, stopping 20 of 21 shots to earn the victory. His counterpart, Vladar of Prague, Czech Republic, made 21 saves on 26 shots in the loss. The game grew increasingly chippy as the score widened, culminating in a multi-player altercation with just 29 seconds remaining. The incident resulted in fighting majors and game misconducts for Tampa Bay’s Max Crozier and Philadelphia’s Nikita Grebenkin, as well as a fighting major for the Lightning’s Nick Paul and the Flyers’ Rodrigo Abols, who also received a boarding penalty. The victory continued Tampa Bay’s recent mastery of Philadelphia. The Lightning have now won three straight against the Flyers this season, outscoring them 15-3, including a 7-2 win in the same building just two days prior. Tampa Bay’s current five-game win streak has solidified its position in the Eastern Conference playoff race. The Lightning’s offense has been particularly potent during this run, averaging 5.6 goals per game. The Flyers, meanwhile, have struggled to find consistency, alternating wins and losses over their last ten contests before this current skid. The Lightning’s performance defied a pregame projection from National Statistical, which had simulated a much closer 3-2 Tampa Bay victory. The Lightning entered as a 1.5-goal favorite, and the total score of six goals surpassed the over/under line of 6.5. According to National Statistical’s ELO rating system, Tampa Bay had a 63.7% probability of winning. Tampa Bay will look to carry its momentum into a back-to-back, traveling to face the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday night. The Flyers, seeking to halt their slide, begin a two-game road trip in Buffalo on Wednesday. The game’s outcome was a testament to Tampa Bay’s veteran core and its ability to capitalize on opportunities. The Lightning’s second-period explosion, particularly the two power-play goals, served as the decisive turning point, showcasing the gap between a team firmly in the playoff hunt and one searching for answers as the season reaches its midway point.

TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING (26-16-0) at PHILADELPHIA FLYERS (22-20-0) Preview PHILADELPHIA (Interstat) — The Tampa Bay Lightning look to extend a five-game winning streak and complete a quick two-game road sweep of the Philadelphia Flyers when the teams meet Monday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena. The Lightning (26-16-0) edged the Flyers 2-1 just two days prior on Saturday in Philadelphia, tightening their grip on a playoff position in the Eastern Conference. The Flyers (22-20-0), meanwhile, are seeking to halt a slide that has seen them lose three of their last four, including an overtime defeat to Toronto on Thursday. Tampa Bay enters with considerable momentum, having won nine of its last 10 contests. A key catalyst has been forward Brandon Hagel, who has recorded 10 points (two goals, eight assists) over his last six games. He had a goal and an assist in Tuesday’s 4-2 win over Colorado and three assists in a Dec. 31 victory at Anaheim. Philadelphia will counter with captain Travis Konecny, who has been a consistent offensive threat. He has points in five of his last 10 games, including a goal in the recent overtime loss to Toronto. Konecny leads the Flyers in several scoring categories and remains the focal point of their attack. In net, Tampa Bay is expected to start Andrei Vasilevskiy, who made 30 saves in the win over Colorado. Philadelphia’s goaltending situation is less certain, with Daniel Vladar having taken the loss against Toronto after a strong 5-2 win over Edmonton on Jan. 3. The season series has been dominated by the Lightning, who have outscored the Flyers 5-1 over two games, including a 3-0 shutout in Tampa on Nov. 24. Philadelphia’s offense, which managed just 22 shots in Saturday’s loss, will need a significant boost to avoid a third straight defeat to their Atlantic Division foe. Following this matchup, the Lightning continue a road trip in Pittsburgh on Tuesday. The Flyers embark on a three-game road trip starting Wednesday in Buffalo.