TAMPA, Fla. - Tyler Johnson had been the most dangerous player for the Tampa Bay Lightning in eight previous playoff games against the Detroit Red Wings.

And yet, with the game on the line in the third period Friday, the Red Wings somehow lost track of Johnson twice.

Johnson scored the go-ahead goal and added an insurance marker, lifting the Lightning to a 5-2 victory at Amalie Arena and a 2-0 series lead.

"We obviously made a couple mistakes on those two goals and they capitalized on those mistakes," Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said.

"We're going to make some mistakes, that's the reality of life. But we've had opportunities in the last two games to win the hockey game and we didn't win it."

The series shifts to Joe Louis Arena for Games 3 and 4, Sunday and Tuesday.

The Red Wings must figure a way to contain Johnson -- who had four points on Friday, has six in the series (two goals, four assists) and has 13 points (eight goals, five assists) in nine playoff games vs. Detroit.

His linemates have helped, too. Nikita Kucherov (three goals in two games) and Alex Killorn each had a goal and an assist.

"We got to do a better job of slowing their speed through the neutral zone and then we got to do a better job of defending them," Blashill said. "It's not magic, it's making sure we play a little tighter against that line."

Brad Richards scored on his team's fifth power play to tie the game 2-2 at 4:27 of the third. The momentum was short-lived.

Johnson scored at 6:32. He skated over the blue line, drawing Jonathan Ericsson to him, leaving Killorn open, and passed to his teammate. Killorn circled around the net and centered to Johnson, who managed to slip through four Red Wings and bang the puck in from the side of the net.

"We got the one to tie it early in the third there, things were going our way," Red Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard said. "Then they gave it to Killorn in the open ice and it was just him and I and he made a patient play."

Johnson scored again at 14:48, blasting in a one-timer off a pass from Kucherov.

"You're learning that last year's playoffs wasn't a fluke," Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. "You think about the trials and tribulations the poor kid has gone through during the regular season. That line has been fabulous for us. He just time and time again, in the big games, that kid continues to rise to the occasions."

Detroit's defense can't say the same.

"They're getting too many easy goals," Detroit's Niklas Kronwall said. "They're a good team, no doubt, but we have to be better."

The Red Wings haven't been able to build off the momentum from scoring. After Dylan Larkin tied it at 1-1 with his first career playoff goal at 3:30 of the second period, Bryan Boyle scored off a rush at 6:46.

"We need concentrate or maybe a little more emotion when we score and want to just keep going and score (again)," Detroit's Pavel Datsyuk said. "Maybe this costs us a little bit."

The Red Wings failed to convert on three power-play opportunities in the final eight minutes of the second period. They didn't have Datsyuk, who was in the room for dental work, after losing a tooth on hit from Victor Hedman.

"Our focus more play better, more details and just keep pushing every shift," Datsyuk said. "We needed more shots and more screen, like to really score more and more on the power play."

Said Zetterberg: "We were in the box too much again. and even though we got one on the PP, we need to be better there. Otherwise, it's a tight game again."

How much more of a difference can the power play make if you can get it going in this series?



"I let you know when we start," Datsyuk said.

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