Another strong performance helped the Lightning add a point to their standings total on Friday, even as their franchise-record-tying eleven-game winning streak came to an end.
The Lightning likely played better in this shootout loss to the Blues than in some of the other contests during the win streak. But St. Louis goalie Joel Hofer stopped 34 shots during three periods and overtime and denied all three Lightning shootout attempts. He was the biggest reason why the Lightning didn’t reach a dozen consecutive victories.
The Lightning thoroughly dominated play during the first 40 minutes. They owned nearly all of the possession. They outshot, outattempted, and outchanced St. Louis. But in the opening frame, the Lightning fell behind, 2-0. After Hofer turned aside several Grade-A chances to keep the game scoreless, the Blues netted goals on successive shifts. On the first tally, St. Louis benefitted from a fortunate bounce. Nick Paul got his stick in the way of a Jordan Kyrou shot from the high slot. As a result, the puck caromed directly to Jake Neighbours at the side of the net, and he deposited it into an open side at 17:03.
The Lightning committed a costly d-zone turnover on the next shift. Deep in the Tampa Bay end, Pavel Buchnevich intercepted a short pass from Charle-Edouard D’Astous to Paul. Buchenvich set up Nick Bjugstad in the slot, and Bjugstad snapped a shot into the top of the net at 17:33.
Early in the second period, the Lightning kept applying pressure but failed to cut into the deficit. Their closest call came on a Brandon Hagel shot from point-blank range that hit the post. Then, just shy of the halfway point of the period, a couple of key plays fueled the Lightning’s comeback. The Lightning had received their first power play of the game at 8:03. With time ticking down on the infraction and the puck in the Lightning end, St. Louis forward Nathan Walker tripped Oliver Bjorkstrand. That was the first key play. Instead of having their first power play end quietly, the Lightning received a twelve-second five-on-three, beginning with an offensive-zone faceoff. Then came the second key play. Nick Paul won the faceoff. That gave the Lightning time to create a scoring chance before the five-on-three ended. Paul changed for Hagel, who set up Nikita Kucherov at the right circle. Kucherov’s one-timer hit off Hofer and went into the net at 9:59. Since there were four seconds left on the five-on-three, the Lightning stayed on the power play for another 1:52. On that second PP, Kucherov passed to Bjorkstrand in the slot, and Bjorkstrand whistled a wrist shot over Hofer’s glove at 11:01 to tie the game.
The third period was more evenly played, and even though the Lightning owned an 8-5 shot advantage, the Blues might have had an edge in dangerous chances. Overtime was scoreless. In the shootout, Kyrou netted the lone goal to give the Blues their first overtime or shootout victory of the season. After dropping their first eight OT/SO decisions, they were probably due for a win.
In the end, the Lightning outshot St. Louis, 36-21. Attempts finished 74-42. The Lightning certainly had more scoring chances. They defended effectively for most of the night. But they couldn’t solve Hofer during even-strength action. They played well enough to extend their point streak, however.
They’ll wrap up their five-game trip on Sunday afternoon in Dallas.
Lightning Radio Three Stars of the Game (as selected by Phil Esposito):
- Joel Hofer — Blues. 34 saves.
- Nikita Kucherov — Lightning. Goal and assist.
- Nick Bjugstad — Blues. Goal. 13-6 on faceoffs.
