BOLTS OF LIGHTNING

Tampa Bay ended up this segment with a 1-2 record for 2 points. Here’s how that trio of contests played out along with my analysis. 

GAME REVIEW

GAME 21 CAPITALS 5 LIGHTNING 4

A couple of late goals, with the last coming on a power play after an unfortunate penalty allowed Washington to escape with a 5-4 victory over Tampa Bay Wednesday at Amalie Arena. With the win the Caps advanced to 15-6-1 and that adds up to 31 points. With the loss the Bolts fell to 11-8-2 for 24 points.

The Lightning had a propensity for scoring first and tonight was no exception. F Brayden Point (13) took an excellent outlet pass from F Jake Guentzel (12) and went in all alone.  #21 was able to lift a backhander over the shoulder of Caps G Charlie Lindgren to give the Bolts a quick 1-0 lead at 3:58 of the opening period.

Tampa Bay extended the margin to 2-zip at 12:27. Again it was Point (14) and this time on the power play. #21, on the left wing, took a perfect cross ice pass from F Nikita Kucherov (21) and deposited the puck in the back of the net with a one timer. D Victor Hedman (15) recorded the other assist and that was the arithmetic at the end of the first period of play.

The Capitals sliced the deficit to 2-1 at 9:29 of the middle stanza. Washington evened the score at 2 apiece with a shorthanded goal at 12:29. The Bolts retook the lead with just 44 ticks left in the second period when F Mikey Eyssimont (2) executed a perfect wraparound with a helper from F Zemgus Girgensons (2) to make the count 3-2.

It only took the Caps 1:37 into the third period to knot the score at 3-3. Then the unthinkable happened. As Lingren tried to clear the puck he inadvertently flipped the rubber disk into his own net to give the Lightning a 4-3 lead at 7:25. The goal was credited to Point (15) being that the Calgary native was the last Bolt to touch the puck giving him a hat trick. Washington stormed back to tie the tilt at 10:30 and the Capitals took their first lead of the evening at 5-4 with a power play marker at 16:34 after F Anthony Cirelli was assessed a double minor after drawing blood on a truly inadvertent high sticking call.

G Andrei Vasilevskiy (10-7-1) was saddled with the loss.

GAME 22 LIGHTNING 3 PREDATORS 2 OT

It took extra hockey, but Tampa Bay emerged victorious 3-2 in overtime over Nashville Friday at the Bridgestone Arena. The win catapulted the Bolts to 12-8-2 for a total of 26 points. The Preds dropped to 7-12-5 equating to 19 points.

The Predators recorded an early goal at 1:23 of the opening stanza for the only score of the first period. The Lightning answered with a shorthanded goal by Cirelli (10) at 4:08 of the middle period. The assist was credited to F Luke Glendening (1) which was his first of the season.

Tampa Bay took the lead when F Brandon Hagel (10) lit the lamp at 8:18 of the second period. Helpers went to D Darren Raddysh (5) and Hedman (16) but Nashville evened the count at 11:20 and both teams went to the locker room tied at 2 all after 40 minutes of play.

Both goalies were the story in the final period posting a couple of clean sheets that lead to bonus hockey. With Tampa Bay on the power play, Point (16) sealed the deal when Kucherov (22) ricochets the puck off a Preds defender at 1:01 of overtime.

G Jonas Johansson (2-1-1) secured the victory turning away 28 of 30 shots on goal.

GAME 22 MAPLE LEAFS 5 LIGHTNING 3

Toronto jumped out to a 4-0 lead then held on to beat Tampa Bay 5-3. The win propelled the Leafs to 14-7-2 for 30 points. The loss dropped the Bolts to 12-9-2 and that adds up to 26 points.

The Maple Leafs opened the scoring at 7:13 of the opening stanza. The North of the Border group increased that margin to 4-0 in the middle period. The first two markers occurred within a span of 33 seconds midway through the second period with the final tally happening with just over a minute left.

The Lightning finally lit the lamp at 11:21 of the final period. Eyssimont (3) began the scoring for the Black & Blue with the assist being credited to Raddysh (6) to cut the deficit to 4-1. The Bolts made it 4-2 when Guentzel (10) put the biscuit in the basket with helpers from Hagel (18) and Hedman (18) at 15:19. The Bolts made it a one-goal difference with a power play goal by F Cam Atkinson (2) with Hagel (19) and Hedman (18) again registering assists at 17:38. Toronto answered with and empty net counter at 18:44 to make the final arithmetic 5-3.

Vasilevskiy (10-8-1) was saddled with the loss stopping 24 of 28 shots.

ANALYSIS

* Better play from Johansson resulted in an overtime victory.

**In my humble opinion, it seems like teams are trying to aim high when #88 is between the pipes. The Big Cat is so technically sound that the only areas he can’t cover are the ones over either shoulder.

***Hedman may have slowed down a step but he’s still at the top of his game from a statistical point of view recording his 750th point (160 goals and 590 assists) of his illustrious 16 year career.

Book it Dano!