BOLTS OF LIGHTNING

An extremely acceptable 3-1 segment for 6 points. A couple post clanks away from a 4-0 week for all 8 points.  Here’s how it played out on the ice.

GAME REVIEW

GAME 58 FLAMES 0 LIGHTNING 3

Tampa Bay continued their hot streak with a home dispatching of Calgary 3-0 on Thursday at Amalie Arena. The Bolts moved to 34-20-4 and that totals 72 points. The Flames slipped to 28-22-8 for 64 points.

The Lightning scored the first and only goal of the opening period with 45 ticks left. With the Bolts on a power play F Nikita Kucherov (27) found the back of the net with F Jake Guentzel (29) and D Victor Hedman (37) credited with the assists.

Tampa Bay increased the lead to 2-zip in the final stanza. At 3:51 D Erik Cernak (3) did the honors with F Brandon Hagel (38) and F Anthony Cirelli (25) getting the helpers.

The Blue & Black iced the contest with an empty net marker at 17:10 of the third period. Hagel (29) put the icing on the cake with Hedman (38) getting his second assist of the evening making the final count 3-0 in favor of the Lightning.

G Andrei Vasilevskiy (28-15-3) recorded the shutout victory stopping all 24 shots on goal.

GAME 59 LIGHTNING 3 CAPITALS 1

Tampa Bay remained on fire with a 3-1 road triumph over Washington on Saturday at the Capital One Arena. The Lightning advanced to 35-20-4 totaling 74 points. The Capitals slid to 38-14-8 computing to 84 points.

Tampa Bay posted the initial goal of the contest at 17:11 of the first period. F Mitchell Chaffee (11) registered the power play marker with F Brayden Point (30) and Kucherov (60) providing the assists and that would be to only score of the opening 20 minutes of play.

After a scoreless middle stanza the Bolts made it 2-nil at 6:08 of the final period. F Gage Goncalves (2) put the biscuit in the basket with F Nick Paul (15) registering the only helper.

The Capital cut the deficit in half at 16:01 but the Lightning scored the clincher with just 59 seconds left in regulation. Hagel (30) maneuvered the puck into an empty net for an unassisted goal and that made the final arithmetic 3-1 in favor of the Lightning.

The Big Cat (29-15-3) saved 20 of 21 for his 8th straight victory.

GAME 60 LIGHTNING 1 PANTHERS 2

Tampa Bay came within two pucks bouncing off the goalpost for a road victory and suffered a heartbreaking 2-1 loss at the hands of Florida at the Amerant Bank Arena on Monday. The Panthers improved to 38-21-3 giving the Cats 79 points. The Bolts fell to 35-21-4 keeping the Lightning at 74 points.

After a scoreless opening 20 minutes of play the Cats posted two middle period markers. The first came at 9:02 and the second being a power play goal at 15:16 giving Florida a 2-0 advantage after 40 minutes of play.

The Lightning quickly cut the lead in half at 2:07 of the third period. Point (32) got the Bolts on the scoreboard with D Darren Raddysh (21) and Guentzel (30) garnering the assists.

Tampa Bay was the recipient of some bad luck as two of their shots in the final period banged off the goal post. The final one with the Lightning on a power play and having an empty net for a 6 on 4 advantage clanked of the iron with less than a second left in regulation giving the homestanding Panthers a very lucky 2-1 victory.

#8 (29-16-3) took the hard luck loss turning away all but 2 of the 29 scoring attempts.

GAME 61 BLUE JACKETS 2 LIGHTNING 6

Tampa Bay left little doubt if the effect of the devastating defeat would linger by scoring two quick goals and going on to defeat Columbus 6-2 Tuesday at Amalie Arena. The Lightning became 36-21-4 making their point total 76. The Blue Jackets tripped to 30-23-8 to remain at 68 points.

Just 30 seconds into the tilt Chaffee (12) dented the scoreboard for the Bolts with D Emil Lilleberg (14) and Raddysh (22) providing the assists. 1:07 later the score became 2-0 with Kucherov (28) depositing the rubber disk over the goal line with Guentzel (31) recording the helper.

Columbus scored at 17:20 of the opening period. Both teams would head to their locker rooms after 20 minutes of play with Tampa Bay holding a precarious 2-1 lead.

The Lightning quickly pushed the advantage early in the middle session. At 1:27 Guentzel (28) lit the lamp with Hedman (39) and Point (31) registering the helpers making the score 3-1. It became 4-1 in favor of the Blue & Black at 6:36 with Hedman (10) blasting a rocket into the back of the net with Kucherov (61) and Raddysh (23) being credited with the assists.

The Blue Jackets cut the lead to 4-2 at 10:49 with a shorthanded goal. That would be all the scoring after 40 minutes of play.

The Bolts padded their lead at 9:44 of the third period. Hedman (11) registered his second goal of the evening with this one of the power play variety with Point (32) and Kucherov (62) getting the helpers.

Tampa Bay closed out the scoring with an empty net goal at 17:53 of the final stanza. Guentzel (29) provided the unassisted score to make the final arithmetic 6-2 in favor of the Lightning.

G Jonas Johansson (7-5-1) recorded the win saving 30 of 32 shot on net.

ANALYSIS

*Vasilevskiy notched the 38th shutout of his career and that good for the #3 spot all time for goaltenders born outside of North America.

**With the loss to Florida the Tampa Bay win streak was halted at 8 games.

***With the win over Columbus the Lightning have now won 6 consecutive home contests.