BOLTS OF LIGHTNING

Three contests in this segment and Tampa Bay was a respectable 2-1 and that equated to four points. Check out how that transpired below.

REVIEW

GAME 7 WILD 4 LIGHTNING 2

Minnesota netted an early third period power play goal to break a 2-2 tie and added an empty netter with 34 ticks left to defeat Tampa Bay 4-2 at Amalie Arena. The victory moved the Wild to 5-2 and 10 points.  The loss dropped the Lightning to 4-3 for 8 points. The visitors scored first in the opening 20 minutes of play. The Bolts responded in the middle period with a shorthanded marker by F Brandon Hagel with helpers going to F Anthony Cirelli and D Erik Cernak. Then the Lightning took a 2-1 lead on the 8th goal of the young season by F Nikita Kucherov with assists to F Nick Paul and D Nicklaus Perbix. Minnesota tied the score with a marker late in the 2nd stanza and took the lead for good in the final 20 minutes of play. G Andrei Vasilevskiy (3-3-0) took the loss turning away 14 of 17 shots. 

GAME 8 CAPITALS 0 LIGHTNING 3

Tampa Bay rode a stellar performance in net by Vasilevskiy as well as well as a tremendous defensive team effort to defeat Washington 3-0 at Amalie Arena. The Bolts advanced to 5-3 for 10 points. The Caps fell to 5-2 adding up to 10 points as well. After a scoreless opening period, the Lightning broke the ice midway through the middle period. F Mitchell Chaffee (2) puts the biscuit in the basket for a 1-0 advantage. Assists were credited to Paul (6) and F Mikey Eyssimont (1). Tampa Bay increased the lead to 2-zip early in the final period. Kuckerov (6) found F Brayden Point (5) parked just to the left of the crease with a nifty cross ice feed for an easy redirect goal. The Lightning broke the game open less than a minute later when F Conor Geekie (1) notched his first NHL goal with the assists coming from Cirelli (9) and Hagel (4). #88 (4-3) was perfect turning away all 31 Washington scoring attempts.

GAME 9 PREDATORS 2 LIGHTNING 3 OT

In a game that was extremely emotional with the return of long time Bolts captain Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay emerged victorious 3:32 into extra time with a wrister by Paul to defeat Nashville 3-2. The win advanced the Lightning to 6-3 adding up to 12 points. The Preds managed a point with the overtime loss to move to 3-5-1 for 7 points. The Bolts posted 2 first period goals to take the lead after the initial stanza. Point lit the lamp with the assist from F Jake Guentzel that was followed by a Chaffee marker with the helper from Point with just over 30 seconds left. The Predators tied the score at 2 all in the middle period with both scores being started by Stamkos. After a scoreless final 20 minutes, Paul deposited the the disk in the back of the net after receiving a nifty pass from Guentzel. Vasilevskiy (5-3) preserved the victory turning away 35 of 37 shots.

ANALYSIS

*Defensemen tend to be mesmerized by the puck carrier and not conscious of players joining the rush.

**Forwards try to get too cute with the puck especially when trying to clear their own zone.

***Goalies facing way too many odd man rushes and breakaways.