Mishkin: Lightning 4, Jets 1; highlights

The Lightning used a dominant stretch in the first period to build an early lead - a lead that was big enough to ensure victory. The Bolts fired 14 first period shots on net and scored twice. In particular, the first of those goals, which featured a highlight-reel play from Jonathan Drouin and a score for Brayden Point, really sparked the Bolts. Following that goal, the Lightning thoroughly dominated play for most of the rest of the period and added another tally when Brian Boyle tipped in a Victor Hedman point shot.

The Winnipeg Jets have a dangerous offense - they average the second-most goals per game in the Western Conference - but they are one of the bottom teams in goals against per game. During that first period, the Lightning were able to create numerous turnovers in the Winnipeg end and keep the Jets pinned back in the defensive zone. That dynamic changed in the final two periods, but by then, the Lightning owned a multi-goal lead.
After the first period, the Lightning didn't manage the puck as well, either in their own end or the neutral zone, so the Jets enjoyed a puck possession advantage in the final 40 minutes. But Winnipeg couldn't translate that advantage into goals. Even though the Lightning didn't have the puck as much, they defended well without the puck. When the Jets did get chances, Ben Bishop stopped all but one, the Jacob Trouba goal in the third.
Although the Lightning didn't have the puck as much in the final 40 minutes, they still generated dangerous looks, mostly off the rush. Just before Ondrej Palat's goal early in the second, Cedric Paquette had a breakaway stopped during a two-on-zero rush. Shortly after Palat's tally, which also came off the rush, Drouin hit the crossbar. Later in the period, Drouin set up Boyle and Point on a two-on-one. Following a scrum in front of Bishop, Vladdy Namestnikov ended up with another player's stick, a righty, which he used on a two-on-one rush. In the third, Jets goalie Connor Hellebucyk made a series of goal line saves on Namestnikov and Alex Killorn.
So despite a puck possession and shot on goal advantage for the Jets in the final 40 minutes, the Lightning could have scored more goals than they did. As it turned out, however, they put enough pucks past Hellebucyk to secure the victory.
As they head into their bye week, the Lightning have gone 3-0-1 in their last four games. They'll look to gain more points when they resume play next weekend in Dallas and Colorado.
Lightning Radio Big Moment of the Game:
Point's first period goal.
Lightning Radio Three Stars of the Game: