BOLTS OF LIGHTNING

Tampa Bay started this four-game segment with three consecutive close losses on the West Coast but got back in the win column with a late home triumph to finish the week 1-3 for 2 points. Here’s how the Bolts fared in all four contests.

GAME REVIEW

GAME 35 LIGHTNING 1 SHARKS 2

Tampa Bay lost a heartbreak to San Jose 2-1 Thursday at the SAP Center. The Sharks improved to 12-23-6 for a total of 30 points. The Bolts slipped to 20-13-2 and that adds up to 42 points.

San Jose notched the only marker of the opening 20 minutes at 13:52. The Sharks extended their lead to 2-zip at 12:55 of the middle stanza. Tampa Bay cut the advantage in half at 17:44 when F Anthony Cirelli (15) found the back of the net with D Erik Cernak (9) and F Brandon Hagel (25) getting the helpers sending both teams to the dressing room with the home team up 2-1.

Both goalies took over in the third period and posted clean sheets securing a 2-1 win for San Jose. G Andre Vasilevskiy (16-11-1) took the hard luck loss turning away 23 of 25 shots on goal.

GAME 36 LIGHTNING 1 KINGS 2

Tampa Bay suffered another gut-wrenching defeat on the second leg of their California road trip Saturday 2-1 against Los Angeles Crypto,com Arena. The Kings advanced to 23-10-5 and that equates to 48 points. The Bolts fell to 20-14-2 for 42 points.

This time the Lightning scored first just 69 seconds into the tilt. D Victor Hedman (5) put the biscuit in the basket with F Brayden Point (21) and F Jake Guentzel providing the assists. The Kings tied the score at 7:58 and both teams went to the first intermission tied at 1 all.

After a scoreless middle period, Los Angeles scored the game winner at 14:12 of the final 20 minutes of play giving the home team a hard-earned 2-1 triumph. #88 (16-12-1) was again on the south side of the ledger making 19 saves on 21 shots.

GAME 37 LIGHTNING 1 DUCKS 4

Tampa Bay culminated its West Coast triad if games on another sour note losing to Anaheim Sunday 4-1 at the Honda Center. The Ducks moved to 17-18-4 and that added up to 38 points. The Bolts lost for the fourth straight game making their record 20-15-2 remaining at 42 points.  

Anaheim scored twice in the opening 20 minutes at 5:25 and 17:03 to take a 2-nil lead into the first intermission. The Lightning cut the lead in half with a power play maker by Guenzel (21) at 9:12 of the middle stanza with F Nikita Kucherov (38) and Point (22) getting credited with the assists making the count 2-1 in favor of the home team after 40 minutes of play.

The Ducks put the game out of reach with a goal at 16:26 then icing the tilt with an empty new marker at 18:28. G Jonas Johannson (4-3-1) was saddled with the defeat stopping 22 of 25 shots.

GAME 38 HURRICANES 2 LIGHTNING 3

Tampa Bay used a late goal with less than minute to play in regulation to break a 2-2 tie and held on to beat Carolina Tuesday 3-2 at Amalie Arena. The win propelled the Bolts to 21-15-2 for 44 points. The Canes slumped to 24-15-2 totaling 50 points.

The Lightning cracked the scoreboard first at 16:38 of the opening period. Hagel (18) rebounded his own shot to put the puck across the line with D Darren Raddysh (12) being credited with the only assist to make the score 1-0 in favor of the Bolts at the first intermission.

Carolina knotted the score at 1 all at 6:31 but Tampa Bay took back the lead at 9:18. With the Lightning on a power play F Nick Paul (10) redirected a deflected shot between the pipes with Raddysh (13) and F Conor Geekie (6) recording the assists and the score remained 2-1 in favor of the home team after 40 minutes of hockey.

The Hurricanes got the equalizer at 9:56 of the third period and it seemed that this tilt was destined for bonus hockey but not so fast my friend.  Kucherov (39) won a battle along the right short boards and instinctively found Point (24) right in front of the goal who put the biscuit in the basket at 19:08 with a nifty move with Guenzel (19) getting the other helper to secure a hard earned two points.

The Big Cat (17-12-1) saved 30 of 32 shots on goal for the victory ending a four-game winless streak.

ANALYSIS

*The highest scoring team in the NHL hit a wall in California scoring only 3 goals in those 3 contests.

**Vasilevskiy played well enough to win the opening two contests, surrendering two goals in each of the tilts.

***Tampa Bay has not allowed a power play marker in the last contests and are a perfect 15 for 15 on the penalty kill.