Thanks to an incredible goaltending performance from Andrei Vasilevskiy and some timely scoring, the Lightning were able to begin their key five-game road trip with a victory.
In terms of possession, shots on goal, shot attempts, and scoring chances, the first period was fairly even. But the Lightning were the only team to score – they grabbed a 2-0 lead. Both goals came off successful defensive-zone exits that led to odd-man rushes. On the opening shift of the game, Erik Cernak slid the puck out of his own end to center ice, where it skipped past the stick Niko Mikkola. That allowed Steven Stamkos and Brandon Hagel to enter the offensive zone on a two-on-one. Stamkos attempted to feed Hagel — instead, the puck deflected off Brandon Montour and went into the Florida net. Later in the period, Nick Perbix knocked the puck out to center ice, and Nick Paul maneuvered it to Mikey Eyssimont. Eyssimont had gotten behind the Florida defense and had a breakaway from the blue line in. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped the initial shot, but Eyssimont followed up and tapped in the rebound.
After one period, shots were 12-11 in favor of Florida. The Panthers benefitted from three power-play chances (although one was a shortened advantage that overlapped with a Lightning power play). But other than having to spend nearly three minutes of the frame shorthanded, the Lightning delivered a solid opening period of hockey.
The rest of the game was a different story, however. In the final 40 minutes, the Lightning were outshot, 38-5. Shot attempts were 57-19. The Lightning repeatedly struggled to execute clears from the defensive zone, so the Panthers enjoyed extended time in the offensive zone. The Lightning also had trouble closing off Florida re-entries from center ice. And finally, the Lightning kept taking penalties. The Panthers received three more power-play opportunities in the second period (including a long five-on-three). They had one more power play in the third.
With that much possession time and so many power-play chances, the Panthers generated plenty of Grade-A scoring chances. In the second period, they put three pucks in the Lightning net. But one goal was taken away after the officials called a match penalty on Dmitri Kulikov moments before Josh Mahura scored. The Panthers eventually did cash in on a Matthew Tkachuk shorthanded goal (off a three-on-one rush) and a Sam Reinhart power-play tally.
Despite being outshot, 18-3, in the second period, however, the Lightning improbably got to the second intermission still up by two goals. That’s because Darren Raddysh converted on a rush chance at 3:02 of the second, and Stamkos drilled in a five-on-three power-play goal at 6:59. (The Lightning were on a two-man advantage because Oliver Ekman-Larsson hooked Nikita Kucherov while the Lightning were on the major penalty stemming from the Kulikov major.) The Stamkos PPG gave the Lightning a 4-0 lead, but it was shortlived. Tkachuk’s SHG came just before the major ended, and Reinhart netted his PPG three and a half minutes later. Vasilevskiy was brilliant during the two overlapping penalties near the end of the period, keeping the game at 4-2 after 40 minutes.
Vasilevskiy stopped 19 more shots in the third. The only shot that beat him was Reinhart’s wraparound – Reinhart swept it in after Calvin de Haan fell behind the net and lost the puck. That goal came with 3:52 left in the game. The Panthers pulled Bobrovsky on the next shift and applied heavy pressure with the extra attacker on the ice. Vasilevskiy made a spectacular save on Aleksander Barkov with just over two minutes left to preserve the lead. Moments later, Kucherov scored into the empty net, setting the final at 5-3.
It was far from pretty. But the Lightning will bank their two points and get ready for the final four games on the trip, which will take place in the Pacific Time Zone.
Lightning Radio Three Stars of the Game:
- Andrei Vasilevskiy — Lightning. 47 saves.
- Steven Stamkos — Lightning. Two goals and two assists.
- Aleksander Barkov — Panthers.
