TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Victor Hedman scored twice and had three points to lead Tampa Bay to a 6-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday night.

Nikita Kucherov had a goal and two assists while Jake Guentzel scored twice. Brayden Point and Darren Raddysh each had two assists. Mitchell Chaffee also scored for Tampa Bay.

Jonas Johansson made 31 saves for the win.

Zach Werenski scored both goals for Columbus, which had won four in a row. Elvis Merzlikins finished with 34 saves.

The Lightning scored two goals in the opening 1:37 of the game, with Chaffee tipping Emil Lilleberg’s shot 30 seconds into the game followed by Kucherov’s breakaway goal 1:07 later.

Werenski cut it to 2-1 for Columbus with 2:40 left but Guentzel regained a two-goal lead 1:27 into the second period. Hedman made it 4-1 at 6:36 before Werenski scored short-handed at 10:49.

Hedman scored on the power play at 9:44 of the third before Guentzel added an empty-net goal.

Takeaways

Blue Jackets: Werenski has his second career 20-goal season to become the third American defenseman with multiple 20-goal campaigns, joining Dustin Byfuglien and Brian Leetch. Yegor Chinakov was activated off injured reserve

Lightning: Tampa Bay’s two goals in the opening 1:37 of the game are the third fastest two goals to open a game in franchise history. Guentzel has points in 15 consecutive games against the Blue Jackets.

Key moment

Columbus cut the Lightning’s lead to a goal late in the first, but Tampa Bay quickly regained the two-goal lead when Hedman found Guentzel alone at the back post for a redirect 1:27 into the second period.

Key stat

Tampa Bay improved to 10-1-1 in its past 12 games.

Up Next

On Thursday night, Columbus is at Florida and the Lightning host Buffalo.

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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The University of South Florida track and field team captured its second consecutive American Athletic Conference Indoor Championship, finishing with 167.5 points at the Birmingham CrossPlex in Birmingham, Alabama. The victory also earned the Bulls’ men’s coaching staff its second straight Men’s Coaching Staff of the Year honor.

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South Florida’s dominance was highlighted by standout performances from Saminu Abdul-Rasheed, who earned the title of Men’s Most Valuable Performer. Abdul-Rasheed won both the 60-meter and 200-meter dash events, racking up 20 total points. 

Nikodem Pochopien was also recognized for his impressive showing, earning Freshman of the Year honors after securing eight points from runner-up finishes in his events. Meanwhile, Karim Belmahdi earned a silver medal in his event, clocking in at 4:08.81, narrowly edging out his competition.

South Florida’s women’s team shined as well, with Rushana Dwyer dominating the women’s 400m event. Dwyer not only took home the champion title but also set a new program record with a time of 52.94 seconds. Teammate Amenda Saint Louis joined Dwyer on the podium, finishing third with a time of 53.97 seconds.

In the men’s 400m event, Gabriel Moronta earned the championship title with a 46.24 finish, while Devontie Archer claimed third with a time of 46.97 seconds.

The women’s 60m hurdles saw Doris Quainoo and Tyra Thomas secure second and third place finishes, respectively, with times of 8.24 and 8.25. Markel Jones also contributed to the men’s team’s success, winning the 60m hurdles in 7.73 seconds to become the champion.

The Bulls completed a remarkable sweep in the 200-meter dash, with Abdul-Rasheed taking the gold, followed by Shevioe Reid in second (20.96) and Jaleel Croal in third (21.00).

Both South Florida’s men’s and women’s 4x400m relay teams claimed the champion titles in their events. The women’s squad included Terren Peterson, Adalin Robinson, Amenda Saint Louis, and Rushana Dwyer. Additionally, they set a new meet record with a time of 3:35.24.

The men’s relay team, featuring Devontie Archer, Markel Jones, Gabriel Moronta, and Alexavier Monfries, also set a new meet record with a time of 3:07.63.

Javell Brown rounded out the podium finishes for the Bulls, claiming third place in the triple jump with a mark of 15.23m (49-11.75).

“This was a total team effort,” said Erik Jenkins, Director of Track & Field and Cross Country. “We’ve worked hard all season, and to see the results come together in such a way, with so many athletes stepping up and breaking records, was truly special. We couldn’t be prouder of our athletes and staff.”

The victory marks another milestone in the Bulls’ track and field program and solidifies their position in the American Athletic Conference.

Fans can access final results online HERE.

For complete coverage of USF Track and Field, follow the Bulls on social media (Twitter | Instagram). 

ABOUT USF TRACK AND FIELD
The USF men’s track and field team claimed both the 2024 and the 2025 Indoor AAC Championships. Additionally, the Bulls also won the 2024 Outdoor AAC Championships. This past season, 10 Bulls athletes earned All-American honors: Shevioe Reid, Shaniya Benjamin, Gabriel Moronta, Nathan Metelus, Terren Peterson, Amenda Saint Louis, Abdul-Rasheed Saminu, Goodness Iredia, Zahria Allers-Liburd, and Tre’Sean Bouis. Romaine Beckford also represented USF as he won the 2023 NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championships in the men’s high jump.

The Bulls’ achievements extended to individual accolades, with Markel Jones winning the 2024 AAC Indoor Freshman of the Year award, and Jaleel Coral being named the 2024 AAC Indoor Most Valuable Performer. The coaching team also received high honors, earning the 2024 and 2025 AAC Indoor Staff of the Year award. USF boasts a remarkable track record, with 56 All-America selections and at least one All-American honoree in 10 of the past 12 years. In 2021, eight athletes combined for 11 All-American distinctions. Tampa native Shaniya Benjamin set a program milestone by earning three All-American honors during the 2021 outdoor season, while triple jumper Matthew O’Neal, a 2016 graduate, became USF’s first six-time NCAA All-American. USF has also seen two NCAA runner-up finishes since 2013: O’Neal (triple jump, 2016) and Courtney Anderson (high jump, 2013). Head coach Erik Jenkins, who took the reins in July 2019, guided the team to seven program records and 40 top-10 all-time program marks during the 2021 outdoor season. Additionally, USF has hosted significant events at its Track and Field Stadium, including the 2018 NCAA East Preliminary and the 2021 and 2023 AAC Outdoor Championships.