Tampa — The Red Wings needed a victory to stay alive and a rookie saved them.

But Marco Kasper is increasingly looking like a special rookie that will be an important piece for the organization going forward.

Kasper had two goals, including the overtime winner at 3 minutes, 20 seconds, giving the Wings a 4-3 victory over Tampa.

Kasper drove in from the wing against a tired group of Lightning skaters and beat goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy for the second time Friday, Kasper’s 18th goal.

“They were tired and Simon (Edvinsson) made a good play there (skating the puck),” Kasper said. “They were real tired and it was just good to score.”

Kasper tied the game 3-3 with his 17th goal at 12:59, off a Tampa turnover. Alex DeBrincat had the puck on a two-on-one rush and found Kasper across the slot, who whistled a shot off the post and past Vasilevskiy.

BOX SCORE: Red Wings 4, Lightning 3 (OT)

With Montreal losing 5-2 in Ottawa, the Wings stay alive in the playoffs, six points behind Montreal with three games for each team. One point that the Wings lose, or one point earned by Montreal, eliminates the Wings.

In the situation they’re in currently, all the Wings can do is come out and play hard and keep stringing together victories. There’s no taking it easy and accepting the what the impossible odds. The Wings had a morning meeting Friday to go over the expectations.

“They showed each other a lot, it’s not necessarily what they showed me and that’s way more important when they play for their teammates,” coach Todd McLellan said. “But they did respond. We had a good discussion this morning about what we expect from each other and they played to it.

“A few guys spoke up and it didn’t look good right off the bat getting scored on early (61 seconds in), but we stayed with it and found a way to scrape out a win in a building that’s tough to play in.”

Goaltender Alex Lyon, making his first appearance in seven games, stopped 18 shots. Lyon found out he would give Cam Talbot a night off after Thursday’s loss in Florida.

“I wasn’t sure what the circumstances but as I always say, just stay ready and try to do my job when called,” Lyon said.

Gage Goncalves scored his second goal of the game, at 1:38 of the third period, breaking a 2-2 tie. Brandon Hagel skated up wing and found Goncalves unspoken for down the middle of the ice. Goncalves received the pass, went in alone on Lyon, and scored his eighth goal.

But Kasper’s first goal tied the game again with 7:01 left in regulation time.

“It’s certainly becoming expected from him because he’s such a tremendous player,” said McLellan of Kasper’s offensive contributions. “We’ve talked ad nauseum about the impact he’s had on this team and his teammates and I see a lot of leadership skills evolving.”

Patrick Kane and Tyler Motte had the other Wings’ goals. Anthony Cirelli opened the scoring for Tampa.

Goncalves tied it 2-2 late in the second period, shortly after Motte gave the Wings a short-lived lead. Hagel lifted a long shot toward Lyon that bounced and the goaltender couldn’t control.

“I shot a puck into my own net, which stung a little bit,” Lyon said.

Motte had given the Wings a 2-1 lead, a little over a minute before. Justin Holl’s shot went high off the end board and bounded off Vasilevskiy’s back. The puck dropped into the crease where Motte raced to the net and tipped the puck into the net for his fourth goal, at 16:37.

Tampa took a 1-0 lead into the second period on a goal by Cirelli, on a start that was anything but how the Wings wanted to begin. Just 61 seconds into the game, Cirelli split Moritz Seider and Edvinsson and went on a partial breakaway on Lyon, producing his 27th goal on the game’s first shot.

Kane tied the game with his 21st goal, in the second period. Kasper held the puck near the post and dished a nice feed to Kane, who was racing into the slot. Kane calmly beat Vasilevskiy at 4:07, tying the game.

“The last little while we’ve had great messages from the coaching staff to keep ourselves in it, no matter if we’re in it or not,” Kane said. “The games mean something. You’re playing in the NHL and you want to be professional and you want to play every game, because every game is meaningful. You want to put it on the line out there for yourself and your teammates and the organization.

“It’s a great feeling to get a win.”

ted.kulfan@detroitnews.com

@tkulfan

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