The Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Winnipeg Jets 6-4 at Benchmark International Arena on Oct. 30, 2026, behind a four-point performance from Pontus Holmberg. Tampa Bay scored four unanswered goals in the second period after the game was tied 1-1. The victory improved the Lightning to 8-3-1 this season.
Holmberg contributed to Tampa Bay’s second-period surge before scoring into an empty net to close the game. Anthony Cirelli and Brandon Hagel each recorded three points, while Tampa Bay finished with a 31-21 advantage in shots on goal. The Lightning received goals from six different players in the victory.
Lightning seize control in second period
Brayden Point opened the scoring 2:20 into the first period on a play assisted by Nikita Kucherov and Jake Guentzel. Neal Pionk tied the game for Winnipeg at 17:45, with Cole Perfetti and Mark Scheifele assisting on the goal. Tampa Bay held a 7-6 edge in shots during the opening period.
Conor Geekie restored Tampa Bay’s lead at 9:43 of the second period on a rush chance assisted by Dominic James and Jeffrey Viel. Cirelli made it 3-1 at 15:56 by finishing a power-play opportunity created by Holmberg and Gage Goncalves. John Carlson extended the advantage at 18:07 on a one-timer after Holmberg and Brandon Hagel helped set up the play.
Hagel added another goal at 19:03, with Cirelli and Holmberg assisting. Holmberg forced a turnover in the offensive zone before Cirelli and Hagel finished the chance near the net. Tampa Bay led 5-1 after two periods and outshot Winnipeg 14-7 in the frame.
Winnipeg rallies before Holmberg finishes the game
The Jets made the final period competitive as Dylan Samberg scored at 7:00 and Pionk added his second goal at 8:50. Dawson Mercer and Kyle Connor assisted on Pionk’s goal, which cut Winnipeg’s deficit to two. Samberg’s goal was assisted by Perfetti and Scheifele.
Connor scored at 17:12 with Winnipeg skating 6-on-5, cutting Tampa Bay’s lead to 5-4 late in the game. Scheifele and Samberg assisted on the goal. Holmberg ended the rally at 18:29 by scoring into the empty net, completing his four-point performance with Cirelli and Hagel assisting.
Pionk scored twice for Winnipeg, while Samberg and Connor also found the net. Tampa Bay’s six goals came from Point, Geekie, Cirelli, Carlson, Hagel and Holmberg. The Lightning finished the game with 31 shots on goal, compared with 21 for Winnipeg.
What comes next
Tampa Bay is scheduled to play the Nashville Predators at 2 p.m. Saturday in Nashville. The Lightning will take an 8-3-1 record into that game. Holmberg’s four-point performance and the three-point efforts from Cirelli and Hagel highlighted Tampa Bay’s scoring in the win over Winnipeg.
FSB Take
Tampa Bay’s second-period response turned a tied game into a 5-1 advantage and supplied the margin needed to withstand Winnipeg’s late push. Holmberg was involved in the middle-period scoring and then ended the Jets’ rally with the empty-net goal. The Lightning’s next game in Nashville will follow a victory in which six players scored and three recorded at least three points.
Source: Original report