This was a rather ugly loss for the Lightning. After controlling much of the first period and building a 2-1 lead, they surrendered four unanswered goals in a span of 5:29 and fell behind by a 5-2 score. Then they managed very little pushback in the final two periods and were unable to get themselves back in the game.
The start of the game was a different story, however. The Lightning came out of gates extremely well.. Tampa Bay thoroughly dominated play for the first 16 minutes or so, and the Blackhawks barely touched the puck. Petr Mrazek was sensational in that early segment, denying a handful of Grade-A scoring chances. He also caught a break with Mikhail Sergachev’s open look from the slot hit the post. Two pucks did get past him, though. Anthony Cirelli snapped home a shot from the slot during a Lightning power play at 3:20, and Nikita Kucherov scored into an open side of the net after the puck came to him off a Tanner Jeannot misfire from the high slot.
In between those two Lightning tallies, the ‘Hawks did record a goal of their own. Following a Lightning d-zone turnover, Philipp Kurashev set up Connor Bedard at the side of the net for a tap-in goal.
With four minutes remaining in the first period, the game’s narrative changed. First came an unforced Tampa Bay icing, followed by a faceoff loss and a point shot from Kevin Korchinski that hit off Darren Raddysh and deflected into the Lightning net at 16:43. Then the Lightning committed two egregious neutral-zone turnovers that led to a pair of odd-man rush goals for Chicago. It was 4-2 after one.
When Jeannot was called for a high-sticking double-minor early in the second period, the ‘Hawks added another — Corey Perry redirected in Bedard’s shot/pass at 2:12.
From that point onward, the Lightning were unable to recapture the momentum they rode for much of the first period. Chicago gained confidence from the offensive onslaught, and the ‘Hawks hounded Lightning puck carriers. When the Lightning did manage to generate a scoring chance, Mrazek turned it aside. A Steven Stamkos sixth-attacker goal at 17:50 of the third pulled the Lightning to within 5-3, but they would get no closer.
Turnovers have been one of the Lightning’s biggest (and most costly) issues so far this season. That was the case again tonight. Three of the four goals they allowed in the first period came directly off turnovers.
The Lightning will need to deliver a cleaner performance when the aggressive Carolina Hurricanes come to town on Saturday.
Lightning Radio Three Stars of the Game (as selected by Phil Esposito):
- Connor Bedard — Blackhawks. Two goals and two assists.
- Alex Vlasic — Blackhawks.
- Petr Mrazek — Blackhawks. 30 saves.
