This was a disappointing result for the Lightning. Granted, it’s hard to argue that they deserved points out of a game in which they allowed three third-period goals in a 6:55 span. But they entered the final period in a 1-1 tie and had put themselves in position to get at least one point. Instead, they suffered a regulation defeat.
Although the Lightning allowed a goal to Bobby Brink off the rush early on, they defended well through the first 40 minutes. About 20 of those minutes were played with partial lighting after the Wells Fargo Center suffered a power outage. But that didn’t affect the Lightning, who kept the deficit at one. When Nick Paul converted on a chance from the slot at 4:35 of the second during a four-on-four, the Lightning grabbed momentum. They dictated play for much of the rest of the second period and entered the intermission tied at one.
But things unraveled quickly at the start of the third. Before the period was seven minutes old, the Lightning had allowed three goals off the rush. Tyson Foerster backhanded a shot from the left circle inside the near post at :54. That was the biggest goal of the game — it broke the tie and gave the Flyers a momentum boost. Philly added another goal at 3:08. Travis Sanheim joined the rush and wired a shot from the top of the right circle past a screened Andrei Vasilevskiy. Sean Walker made it 4-1 at 6:55 when he stepped to the left circle at snapped a shot into the top of the net.
The Lightning had difficulty mounting an attack for the next several minutes. So with 9:16 left, Jon Cooper pulled Vasilevskiy for an extra attacker. The Flyers narrowly missed on several empty-net bids, icing the puck five times. Eventually, the Lightning converted. Steven Stamkos scored on a rebound at 14:34. But the Lightning would get no closer. The Flyers tallied two empty-netters before the final buzzer.
On the three-game road trip, the Lightning strung together eight excellent periods of defensive hockey. But the ninth and final one was their undoing, and it cost them a chance to make the trip an even more successful one. Instead, they take home four out of six points. They begin a crucial five-game homestand on Thursday against Buffalo.
Lightning Radio Three Stars of the Game:
- Tyson Foerster — Flyers. GWG.
- Sean Walker — Flyers. Goal.
- Morgan Frost — Flyers. Two assists.
