BOLTS OF LIGHTNING

Tampa Bay had a hard luck 1-2 segment and that meant only 2 points. Here’s how those three contests played out.

GAME REVIEW

GAME 48 LIGHTNING 4 BLACKHAWKS 3 OT

Tampa Bay scored a power play goal with 41 seconds left in regulation then converted another man advantage in overtime to steal a win from Chicago on Friday at the United Center. The Bolts advanced to 26-18-3 and that adds up to 55 points. The Blackhawks slipped to 15-28-5 and that equates to 35 points.

The Lightning scored first at 10:59 of the opening period. F Mitchell Chaffee (9) registered the power play goal with F Nikita Kucherov (49) and F Brayden Point (24) credited with the helpers.

Chicago got the equalizer at 16:29 and took the lead at 18:47. Both teams would head to the dressing room after 20 minutes of play with the home team holding a precarious 2-1 advantage.

The Blackhawks made it 3-1 at 4:59 of the middle period. Tampa Bay cut the margin with just 8 ticks left when F Nick Paul (14) lit the lamp with D Victor Hedman (32) and F Brandon Hagel (31) recording the assists. That made the count 3-2 after two periods.

The score would remain 3-2 until 19:19 when the Bolts would tie the score with another man advantage marker. This one went to F Jake Guentzel (25) with Kucherov (50) and D Darren Raddysh (18) providing the helpers sending the game to bonus hockey.

Tampa Bay would record their third power play goal of the evening to seal the deal at 58 of the extra period. Kucherov (23) netted the game winner with Hedman (33) and Guentzel (24) notching the assists.

G Jonas Johansson (6-4-1) made 11 saves on 14 shots to chalk up the victory.

GAME 49 LIGHTNING 0 RED WINGS 2

Tampa Bay lost a heartbreaker falling 2-0 to Detroit at Little Caesars Arena on Saturday. The Red Wings moved to 23-21-5 for 51 points. The Bolts fell to 26-19-3 and that equates to 55 points.

After a scoreless opening 20 minutes of play Detroit dented the scoreboard first at 9:55. That was the only marker of the second period and both teams went to the dressing room after 40 minutes of play with the Red Wings holding a slim 1-nil lead.

The home team finished the scoring at 19:32 with an empty netter. That gave Detroit a hard earned 2-0 victory.

G Andrei Vasilevskiy (20-15-2) absorbed the hard luck defeat turning away 29 of 30 shots on goal.

GAME 50 BLACKHAWKS 4 LIGHTNING 1

Tampa Bay gets the opening marker early in to game and then comes up empty for the rest of the contest falling to Chicago 4-1 Tuesday at Amalie Arena. The Blackhawks improved to 16-29-5 for 37 points. The Bolts slipped to 26-20-3 for 55 points.

The Lightning got on the scoreboard early in the opening stanza. Point (28) maneuvered the disk across the line at 3:34 with Kucherov (51) and Guentzel (25) being credited with the assists. Sadly, that would be the only goal by the home team this evening.

Chicago evened the count at 10:19 of the second period with a power play marker. The Blackhawks took the lead for good at 18:14 and both teams went to the 2nd intermission with the visitors holding a slim 2-1 margin.

The Windy City Crew made it 3-1 at 8:02 of the final 20 minutes. The Black & Red posted the final goal with an empty netter at 19:03 to make the final arithmetic 4-1 in favor of the Blackhawks.

Johansson (6-5-1) absorbed the loss turning away 16 of 19 shots on goal.

ANALYSIS                                                                       

*Third time in Bolts history that the team tied the contest in the last minute of regulation then recorded the game winner in the first minute of overtime.

**Lightning was shutout for the first time in the 2024-25 campaign.

***Tampa Bay only scored one goal in the last two tilts, but it wasn’t due to a lack of shooting. The Blue & Black put up 28 shots against Detroit and 35 against Chicago. Sometimes you just have to tip your cap to the guy between the pipes in the other color sweater.

ANALYSIS

*Third time in Bolts history that the team tied the contest in the last minute of regulation then recorded the game winner in the first minute of overtime.

**Lightning was shutout for the first time in the 2024-25 campaign.

***Tampa Bay only scored one goal in the last two tilts, but it wasn’t due to a lack of shooting. The Blue & Black put up 28 shots against Detroit and 35 against Chicago. Sometimes you just have to tip your cap to the guy between the pipes in the other color sweater.