BOLTS OF LIGHTNING

Tampa Bay experienced a below average 1-2 week capturing 2 of a possible 6 points. Here’s how that played out for the Blue & Black last week.

GAME REVIEW

GAME 62 SABERS 5 LIGHTNING 6

Tampa Bay overcame a two goal deficit scoring the final three markers of the contest to defeat Buffalo 6-5 Thursday at Amalie Arena. The Lightning improved to 37-21-4 totaling 78 points. The Sabres slipped to 24-31-6 adding up to 54 points.

The Bolts opened the scoring at 5:01 of the first period. F Nick Paul (19) lit the lamp with D Ryan McDonagh (18) and F Brandon Hagel (39) registering the assists.

The lead was short lived as the visitors knotted the score 16 seconds later. The Lightning retook the lead 36 seconds later with D Darren Raddysh (4) found the back of the net with F Zemgus Girgensons (4) getting the only helper.

The Swords recorded the next two goals with the first at 8:20 and the second at 17:09. Both teams went to their locker rooms after a 20 minute scoring barrage with Buffalo holding a 3-2 advantage.

It took the Bolts only 58 seconds into the middle period to tie the score at 3 all. F Jake Guentzel (30) did the honors with D Erik Cernak (14) and F Nikita Kucherov (63) being credited with the assists.

The Sabres again dented the scoreboard twice to take a 5-3 lead in the second period. A power play goal at 9:35 was followed by another even strength marker at 12:40 but Tampa Bay wasn’t finished scoring either.

The Lightning cut the margin to 5-4 at 17:43 with Guentzel (31) depositing his second goal of the evening with F Brayden Point (33) and Paul (16) getting assists. The Blue & Black even the score just 1:03 seconds later with Guentzel (32) getting the hat trick with Hagel (40) and Paul (24) providing the helpers. After 40 minutes of play the score was now knotted at 5 each.

The Bolts tallied the game winner from an unexpected source at 1:40 of the final stanza. Newly acquired F Oliver Bjorkstrand (17) scored in his Bolts debut with returning to the fold F Yanni Gourde (12) and Kucherov (64) garnering the assists.

G Andrei Vasilevskiy (30-16-3) kept the Sabres off the scoreboard for the remainder of the third period to record the victory stopping 28 of the 33 shots on goal.

GAME 63 BRUINS 4 LIGHTNING 0

Tampa Bay met a hot goaltender on Saturday at Amalie Arena falling to Boston 4-0. The Bruins moved to 29-28-8 for 66 points and the Bolts fell to 37-22-4 to stay at 78 points.

After a scoreless opening period of play the Bruins took the lead at 10:32 of the middle stanza. The count would remain 1-0 in favor of the visitors after 40 minutes of hockey.

Boston sealed the deal with 3 goals in the final period. The first at 13:16 with the second an empty net marker at 14:52 and the third at 15:53 making the final arithmetic 4-0 in favor of the Bruins.

#88 (30-17-3) suffered the defeat making 22 saves on 25 shots on net.

GAME 64 LIGHTNING 1 HURRICANES 4 

Tampa Bay lost their second game in a row on Tuesday at the Lenova Center 4-1 to Carolina. With the win the Hurricanes are now 39-22-4 and that equates to 82 points. The loss put the Bolts at 37-23-4 to stay at 78 points.

The Hurricanes took the lead at 4:29 with the only score of the opening period with a shorthanded marker. Carolina would increase their lead to 3-zip in the middle period with goals at 12:56 and 19:15.

The Lightning would dent the scoreboard at 4:38 of the final 20 minutes of play cutting the margin to 3-1. F Gage Goncalves (3) put the biscuit in the basket with Hagel (41) and Raddysh (25) registering the helpers but the home team would end all thoughts of a comeback by the Blue & Black with an insurance marker at 6:26 making the final count 4-1 in favor of the Hurricanes.

The Big Cat (30-18-3) took the loss turning away 28 of 31 shots.

ANALYSIS

*Bjorkstrand became the 5th Lightning player to record a game winning goal in their franchise debut.

**Tampa Bay was shut out for only the second time this season.

***The Goncalves goal snapped a 122 minute scoreless streak for the Bolts.