The second period may have been the Lightning's most dominant frame of the season. They outshot the Flyers, 17-2. Shot attempts were 32-5. If not for several key saves by Carter Hart, the Lightning would have blown the game open. Instead, they settled for two goals, but those tallies helped them take a 3-0 lead into the second intermission.
The first period was a different story. While the Lightning owned a majority of the possession time, they yielded several dangerous chances to the Flyers. Andrei Vasilevskiy made nine saves in the first - his best came on a one-timer from Morgan Frost. The Lightning generated some good looks of their own in the first, but they also missed the net with 11 attempts. The lone goal in the frame came during a Lightning power play - Corey Perry set up Nick Paul in the low slot at 16:02. The Lightning have now scored at least one power play goal in nine consecutive games.
Hart made point-blank saves on Perry and Pat Maroon early in the second, keeping his team's deficit at one. But soon after came a pivotal stretch, which set the tone for the rest of the period. The Lightning kept the Flyers hemmed in the defensive zone for an extended segment of time. In particular, the two Philadelphia defensemen endured a nightmare shift. Ivan Provorov was stuck on the ice for 3:20. Rasmus Ristolainen's shift lasted 4:02. Although the Lightning didn't score during that time frame, the dominant sequence fueled their attack. At 7:55 came Stamkos' historic moment. He fed Ian Cole in the left corner and Cole's centering pass deflected into the net off Paul. The Lightning had several other glorious chances to add to their lead, but Hart denied them. Other close calls just missed, including Brayden Point's power play shot from the slot that hit the post. Just before the period ended, however, the Lightning finally netted their third goal. Ross Colton stole the puck in the neutral zone from Igor Zamula and sprung Perry on a breakaway. Hart made the save, but Colton finished the rebound at 19:56. It was a fitting end to a one-sided period.
While the Flyers attempted to make a push in the third - they outshot the Lightning, 11-3 - their scoring-chance number was lower than what it had been in the first. Travis Konecny did convert at 11:23, but that goal came two minutes after Cole's dump-in caromed off the end board and deflected into the Philadelphia net off Hart's skate. It was a workmanlike final period for the Lightning, who ensured that, unlike the first meeting between the teams (a 3-2 come-from-behind Philadelphia win), there would be no Flyers comeback tonight.
Lightning Radio Three Stars of the Game:
1. Steven Stamkos - Lightning. Assist. 1,000th regular season point.
2. Nick Paul - Lightning. Two goals.
3. Andrei Vasilevskiy - Lightning. 21 saves.
