The Lightning secured an additional point in the standings despite another subpar defensive performance.
It helped that they netted three goals in the first 23 1/2 minutes of the game, and that they only trailed for a 2:24 span in the first period.
But after Victor Hedman’s goal at 3:23 of the second, the Preds heavily tilted the ice for the remainder of regulation. Even before then, the Lightning allowed odd-man rush goals to Reid Schaefer at 11:14 of the first and to Adam Edstrom at :45 of the second. But Nashville’s advantage became more pronounced after the Hedman tally made it 3-2.
The Lightning had problems with turnovers, coverage, and lost puck battles. It took Nashville almost to the end of the second period before tying the game at three. Jayden Struble’s left-circle shot in the closing seconds eluded Andrei Vasilevskiy.
That was a shot Vasilevskiy typically stops. But he rebounded in the third to deny numerous Grade-A scoring chances. The one goal he allowed was to Steven Stamkos, who scored his first-ever goal against his former team. It came after Vasilevskiy made a diving stick save on Stamkos—but the puck came back to Stamkos, and he roofed it over a sprawled Vasilevskiy.
Stamkos’ goal came on the power play, and the tally tied him with Phil Esposito for sixth on the all-time PPG list (236).
Thanks to a Conor Geekie goal at 3:31 of the third, the Lightning were up 4-3 at the time of Stamkos tally. Geekie extended his goal streak to three straight games, a career-high. Jeff Viel intercepted a puck behind the Nashville net and centered to an open Geekie, who finished a shot past the stick of Justus Annunen.
And that, in some ways, described the story of the game for the Lightning. Over the final 40 minutes, they didn’t enjoy much possession. But when they did get the puck in the offensive zone, they generated good looks of their own.
They had several in the first period, when they dictated more of the action. There were a handful of near misses in the opening frame, too. But their first goal came off a fortunate bounce—Edstrom accidentally deflected John Carlson’s pass down low into his own net.
Jake Guentzel tipped Carlson’s wrist shot from the right point on the opening shift of the second, but the Lightning gave the goal right back on the next shift on the Edstrom odd-man rush.
On Hedman’s goal, his third of the season, the Lightning captain jumped off the bench and joined the play in the offensive zone. He accepted a pass from Nikita Kucherov in the slot and wired a shot into the net.
So the Lightning did create scoring chances in the game. Annunen stopped several of them, including a point-blank backhander from J.J. Moser in overtime. Annunen also didn’t allow a goal in the shootout, which lasted four rounds. Vasilevskiy allowed a goal to Stamkos for the only shootout tally.
The Lightning’s offense has helped them earn points in each of their last three contests (1-0-2). But they’ve yielded at least four goals in four consecutive games. They’ll look to lower that number when they host Detroit on Tuesday in their first divisional matchup of the season.
Lightning Radio Three Stars of the Game:
- Steven Stamkos — Predators. PPG. GWG in SO.
- Adam Edstrom — Predators. Goal.
- Alex Kerfoot — Predators. Assist.
