BOLTS OF LIGHTNING

Tampa Bay was an adequate 1-1-1 for their three road contests in the last segment. Here’s how the Blue & Black captured three of a possible six points.

GAME REVIEW

GAME 75 LIGHTNING 1 SENATORS 2

Tampa Bay came out on the short end of the stick Thursday losing 2-1 to the Ottawa Senators at the Canadian tire Centre. The Sens advanced to 40-29-6 for a total of 86 points. The Bolts fell to 44-26-5 remaining at 93 points.

The home team got on the scoreboard first at 13:54 of the opening stanza. That would be the only marker of the first 20 minutes of play.

Ottawa pushed the lead to 2-nil with a power play goal at 5:17 of the middle period. The Lightning cut the lead in half at 7:00 when F Brandon Hagel (34) lit the lamp with F Yanni Gourde and D Ryan McDonagh (26) getting the assists.

From that point on both goaltenders took over. Senators Linus Ullmark and Bolts Andrei Vasilevskiy posted clean sheets for the rest of the second period and all of the final period allowing the Sens to secure a hard fought 2-1 triumph.

The Big Cat (36-20-3) suffered the loss stopping 17 of 19 shots.

GAME 76 LIGHTNING 2 SABRES 3 SO

Tampa Bay suffered its second straight setback losing to the Buffalo Sabres 3-2 in a Shootout on Saturday at the KeyBank Center. The Swords moved to 33-36-6 giving the home team 72 points. The Bolts with the OT defeat advanced to 44-26-6 providing the visitors with 94 points.

After a scoreless opening 20 minutes the Lightning dented the scoreboard first at 1:35 of the middle period. F Brayden Point (39) scored with F Nikita Kucherov (79) registering the only assist.

Buffalo knotted the score at 1 all at 4:47 but the Bolts retook the lead at 13:01. This time it was F Gage Goncalves (6) doing the honors with F Oliver Bjorkstrand (24) and Gourde (21) credited with the helpers. Both teams went into the second intermission with Tampa Bay holding a slim 2-1 advantage.

The Sabres drew even at 5:07 of the third stanza with a power play marker. From that point on both goalies shut the door forcing extra hockey. After a five minute overtime session couldn’t determine a winner, the game moved to the Shootout phase where the home team secured the 3-2 victory.

G Jonas Johansson (8-5-3) salvaged a point for the Bolts making 36 saves on 38 shots on goal.

GAME 77 LIGHTNING 5 RANGERS 1

Tampa Bay finished off the three game roadie with a 5-1 triumph over the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Monday. The Bolts with the win are now 45-26-6 for 96 points. The Big Apple Gang slipped to 36-34-7 garnering 79 points.

The Lightning exploded for a trio of late unanswered first period goals in less than a two-minute span. The initial score was a power play marker provided at 13:09 by Kucherov (34) with Point (38) and F Jake Guentzel (37) registering the assists. The second goal was posted just 36 seconds later by Gourde (7) with Goncalves (10) and D Victor Hedman (47) credited with the helpers. The final changing of the scoreboard was courtesy of Point (40) during another man advantage situation at 14:54 with Guentzel (39) and Kucherov (80) finding #21 giving the Bolts a 3-nil lead at the first intermission.

The visitors cut the lead to 3-1 with a power play counter at 3:16 of the final stanza but that would be the only goal of the contest by New York. Tampa Bay salted the win away with their third power play strike of the evening 15:40. Point (41) again notch the score with Guentzel (39) and Kucherov (81) again getting the assists. Hagel (35) made the final count in 5-1 in favor of the Bolts with an empty netter at 17:18 and McDonagh (27) coming up with the helper.

#86 (37-20-3) turned away 38 of 39 shots to give Tampa Bay a much needed two points.

ANALYSIS

*The Lightning clinched a playoff spot for the 8th straight campaign.

**Kucherov now has provided 56 points (15-41=56) on the road for the second highest in the National Hockey League

***Point has registered his third consecutive 40 goal season tying him with former Lightning great Steven Stamkos for the longest strak in the history of the organization.