Blue Jackets rally past Lightning 5-2 in Tampa as Garland scores twice and Monahan assists
Columbus turns early deficit into multi-goal win
The Columbus Blue Jackets defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-2 on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, at Amalie Arena, using a four-goal middle stretch to overturn an early one-goal deficit. The win completed a season sweep of the Lightning for Columbus.
Tampa Bay scored first in the opening period, but the game shifted decisively in the second. Columbus produced three goals in a span of 30 seconds to seize control, then added to the margin with a power-play goal and an empty-netter late.
How the scoring unfolded
First period: Tampa Bay opened the scoring to take a 1-0 lead.
Second period, 5:57: Ivan Provorov tied the game 1-1 with a slap shot, assisted by Denton Mateychuk and Charlie Coyle.
Second period, 6:27: Conor Garland gave Columbus a 2-1 lead, assisted by Kent Johnson and Sean Monahan.
Second period: Columbus added another goal to extend the lead to 3-1.
Second period, 11:42 (power play): Kirill Marchenko scored to make it 4-1, assisted by Adam Fantilli and Zach Werenski.
Third period: Tampa Bay scored once to cut the deficit to 4-2.
Late third period: Garland scored his second goal, an empty-netter, to seal the 5-2 final.
Key performers and team factors
Garland scored twice for the second consecutive game, while Monahan contributed two assists. Provorov recorded a goal from the blue line during the second-period surge, and Marchenko’s power-play marker provided separation as the game moved into its final stages.
Columbus finished with 31 shots on goal. Tampa Bay also generated 31 shots, but Columbus’ second-period finishing and special-teams production proved decisive. The Blue Jackets’ ability to convert on a key power play, paired with a rapid burst of scoring at five-on-five, created a margin Tampa Bay could not erase.
The turning point came early in the second period, when Columbus scored twice within 30 seconds and followed with another goal to flip the game’s direction.
What it means going forward
The result continued a strong head-to-head stretch for Columbus against Tampa Bay this season, including an earlier high-scoring win in Columbus. For the Lightning, the loss underscored how quickly a game can swing when defensive coverage breaks down and the penalty kill concedes at a key moment.
Both teams remain in the playoff race, with Tampa Bay positioned near the top of the Eastern Conference and Columbus pushing to strengthen its standing down the stretch.