Lightning hit Blues for fifth consecutive road victory

~ Tampa Bay netted three goals in the third period for a 5-4 win.

ST. LOUIS -- Jason Ward scored his first goal in six weeks to help the Tampa Bay Lightning to their fifth consecutive road victory, a 5-4 win over the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday night.

Paul Ranger added a goal and an assist, and the Lightning also got goals from Martin St. Louis, Craig MacDonald and Nick Tarnasky. St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier each collected a pair of assists.

Tampa Bay goalie Johan Holmqvist recorded his fifth win in his last six decisions.

It was the Tampa Bay's first win in St. Louis since Oct. 13, 1992, their first visit in their initial season.

The Lightning had the worst road record in the NHL at 7-14-3 before their current streak.

The Blues, who lost for the ninth time in their last 11 games, got goals from Brad Boyes, Keith Tkachuk, Jamal Mayers and David Perron.

Tarnasky's fifth of the season gave the Lightning a 5-2 lead at 14:55, but Mayers pulled the Blues within two goals 7 seconds later. Perron scored with 22.1 seconds left to cut the deficit to one with a sixth attacker on the ice.

MacDonald's third of the season gave the Lightning a 4-2 lead 7:13 into the third period, deflecting home Ranger's backhand flip from the point.

Ward, a healthy scratch in the Lightning's previous game, gave Tampa Bay its third lead of the game at 4:25 of the third period. Ward scored his first goal in 18 games when his shot from the slot deflected off a Blues stick and into the net.

St. Louis gave the Lightning a 2-1 lead with his 20th goal of the season on the power play in the second period. St. Louis, stationed in front of Blues goalie Manny Legace, tipped Vincent Lecavalier's shot home at 6:55.

Tkachuk tied the game 2-2 with a power play goal, his 17th of the season and the 490th goal of his career. Tkachuk deflected Eric Brewer's shot over Holmqvist's blocker at 14:02 of the second.

The Lightning grabbed a 1-0 first period lead at 6:01 on Ranger's ninth goal. Ranger took a backhand pass from St. Louis and beat Legace with a wrist shot high glove side.

But the Blues tied the game 21 seconds later on Boyes' 30th goal of the season, his ninth goal in the last 12 games.

Boyes' shot from the left circle deflected off Tampa Bay's Craig MacDonald and over the glove hand of Holmqvist. It was the first road goal Holmqvist has allowed in the last 127:58.