Point hopes Lightning gain 'some belief' after beating Rangers

Brayden Point is optimistic the Tampa Bay Lightning's 6-3 victory over the New York Rangers on Thursday will provide a shot in the arm amid the team's scrap for playoff positioning.

"I think it gives us confidence, especially coming back against a team like New York, a very good hockey team," he told reporters postgame. "I think it hopefully gives us some belief down the stretch here that we're not out of games, we can still climb back."

The Bolts headed into the first intermission down 2-0, and Point was on the ice for both goals against. He responded by putting up a hat trick and three assists, including four points in the final frame.

The 28-year-old tied a franchise record for most points in a game. Nikita Kucherov accomplished the feat in 2023, while Doug Crossman pulled it off in 1992.

"It's very cool," Point said. "Just one of those nights where everything kind of seems to work out."

Jack Roslovic broke the 2-2 tie in the Rangers' favor early in the third period, but Point responded less than two minutes later for the first of four unanswered goals for Tampa Bay.

The Lightning currently hold the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with a four-point edge over the New York Islanders and Detroit Red Wings. They have a 93.4% chance of making the playoffs for the seventh straight season, per MoneyPuck.

Despite that, head coach Jon Cooper isn't allowing the Lightning to rest on their laurels.

"We have a group that wants to make the playoffs, and they believe they can," he said. "By no means is one win putting us in the playoffs. We still have a long way to go, but early in the year, I think with this group, and with so many new faces that we had, we probably found a way to lose that game.

"And now, with under 20 (games) left, this team is finding a way to win those games."

Next up for the Bolts is a clash against the Florida Panthers on Saturday.