The first period featured tight, defensive hockey from both teams. Scoring chances were hard to come by and, not surprisingly, the period was a scoreless one. That dynamic changed in the second, as both clubs generated numerous good looks. But while the Lightning didn't convert on any of theirs, the Hurricanes scored twice. And in the third, once Carolina added a third goal early in the period, the Hurricanes decisively controlled the rest of the contest.
That was, in general terms, how the game unfolded. But that isn't the whole story. The Hurricanes played with their usual high pace. They also effectively pressured the puck in all three zones. The Lightning did have some strong moments in this one, plays in which they forced turnovers and put themselves in a position to score. But they couldn't finish. Either they missed the net, passed their way out of the chance, or had their shots stopped by goalie Alex Nedeljkovic.
The first Carolina goal was an important one, because it allowed the Hurricanes to play with the lead for the rest of the night. But perhaps the biggest goal of the game was the second one. The Lightning had been successfully applying pressure in an attempt to tie. But a costly turnover just inside their own blue line led to Sebastian Aho's in-alone chance. Aho's tally at 15:30 of the second gave Carolina a cushion.
The Lightning were stung again when they failed to clear the puck early in the third. Moments later, former Lightning center Cedric Paquette converted on a chance in the slot. With momentum clearly on Carolina's side at that point, the Lightning struggled to generate any sustained pressure for the rest of the period.
Some of the storyline from this game is about which team cashed in on its opportunities. And which team didn't. But at the same time, Carolina, with its uptempo, attacking style, delivered a very solid overall performance. The Lightning will have a chance to rebound from this loss on Monday, when the teams meet for the second of their four consecutive matchups.
Lightning Radio Three Stars of the Game (as selected by Bobby "The Chief" Taylor):
1. Alex Nedeljkovic - Hurricanes. 24-save shutout. His first NHL shutout.
2. Sebastian Aho - Hurricanes. Goal and assist.
3. Andrei Svechnikov - Hurricanes. Goal and assist.
