BOLTS OF LIGHTNING

Tampa Bay was an extremely respectable 2-0-1 in the last segment attaining five of a possible six points. Here’s how the Blue & Black accomplished that feat.

GAME REVIEW

GAME 65 LIGHTNING 3 FLYERS 4 SO

Tampa Bay notched a third period goal to force overtime salvaging a point in a 4-3 Shootout loss to Philadelphia at the Wells Fargo Center on Thursday. The win moved the Flyers to 28-31-8 for 64 points. With the loss the Bolts are now 37-23-5 staying at 79 points.

The Lightning opened the scoring at 8:29 of the first period with a power play score. F Gage Goncalves (4) did the honors with F Yanni Gourde (13) and D Ryan McDonagh (19) getting the assists.

Philly scored the equalizer at 14:20 of the opening stanza. Both teams would head to the first intermission tied at 1 all.

The Bolts regained the lead just 15 ticks into the middle period. F Zemgus Girgensons (2) lit the lamp with D Erik Cernak (15) recording the only helper.

The Flyers countered with the next two goals to take the lead. The first at 10:55 and the second with just 59 seconds left in the second period to take a 3-2 advantage to the locker room after 40 minutes of play.

Tampa Bay levelled the score at 3 all at 3:50 of the final period. F Cam Atkinson (4) put the biscuit in the basket with D Victor Hedman (40) and D J.J. Moser (9) being credited with the assists.

Both goaltenders took over from that point of the tilt. After a scoreless overtime Philadelphia secured the win in a shootout.

G Jonas Johansson (7-5-2) absorbed the loss but managed to provide the Bolts with a point.

GAME 66 LIGHTNING 6 BRUINS 2

Tampa Bay avenged a home loss last week to Boston and defeated the Bruins 6-2 on Saturday at TD Garden. The victory pushed the Bolts to 38-23-5 equating to 81 points. The loss dropped the Beantown Gang to 30-30-8 for 68 points.

The Lightning opened the scoring at 2:22 of the opening period. Hedman (12) dented the scoreboard with Gourde (14) and D Darren Raddysh (26) getting the helpers.

Boston would answer at 15:58. Both teams went to their locker rooms tied at 1 each after 20 minutes of hockey.

The Bolts broke it open with three second period markers. The first was scored by F Nick Paul (20) at 2:13 with D Emil Lilleberg (15) and Goncalves (8) registering the assists. The second came at 7:22 with F Anthony Cirelli (21) putting the rubber disk across the goal line with McDonagh (20) and Gourde (15) providing the helpers. The third was recorded by Raddysh (5) at 17:08 with Lilleberg (16) and Paul (17) registering the assists. That gave Tampa Bay a 4-1 advantage after 40 minutes of play.

The Bruins cut the lead to 4-2 just 23 seconds into the third period but the Lightning shut the door with two late empty net tallies. F Brandon Hagel (31) found the back of the net with F Nikita Kucherov (65) and Cernak (16) moving the puck in the direct of #38. The final goal of the contest was with 45 ticks left in regulation when Cirelli (22) redirected a shot by Hedman (41) to make the final arithmetic 6-2 in favor of the Bolts.

G Andrei Vasilevskiy (31-18-3) only faced 12 shots turning away 10 to record the victory.

GAME 67 FLYERS 0 LIGHTNING 2

Tampa Bay returned to Amalie Arena and turned the tables on Philadelphia with a 2-0 triumph on Monday. With the triumph the Bolts improved to 39-23-5 adding up to 83 points. With the loss the Flyers went to 29-33-8 remaining at 66 points.

The Lightning got to only goal of the first period at 18:31. Kucherov (29) found the back of the net with an unassisted goal.

For the next almost 40 minutes both goalies were the story. Tampa Bay final salted away the victory with a power play empty net marker. F Jake Guentzel (33) lit the lamp with Kucherov (66) and F Brayden Point (34) getting credit for the helpers.

#86 (32-18-3) registered the shutout stopping all 21 shots on goal.

ANALYSIS

*All of the 5 overtime losses that the Lightning have experienced have come at the hands of a Metropolitan Division opponent.

**The Bolts held the Bruins to zero shots on goal in the second period marking the 3rd time in franchise history that feat was accomplished and the first since December of 2000

***Vasilevskiy recorded his 5th shutout of the campaign and that ties for 2nd among all goaltenders in the 2024-25 season.