The Lightning played a (mostly) strong defensive game and made big plays at key times. That helped them win their fourth straight game and pick up another two points in the standings.
This was not a perfect defensive outing for the Lightning. They allowed two goals on odd-man rushes. They yielded other dangerous chances in the closing minutes of the second period (after Vegas tied the game at two) and the first half of the third.
But for much of the rest of the game, the Lightning defended well. They limited opposition looks, cleared pucks out of the d-zone cleanly, and avoided costly turnovers. They were especially sharp in the final 7:46 of the game after Brayden Point’s second goal of the period broke a 3-3 tie and gave them the lead for good.
The night didn’t start well for Tampa Bay, however, Just over a minute into the first period, they allowed a three-on-one rush chance to Vegas and Jonathan Marchessault buried a cross-ice feed from Shea Theodore into an open side of the net.
But when the Lightning went on the penalty kill at 6:05, they tied the score. Prior to this game, neither Anthony Cirelli nor Brandon Hagel had recorded a shorthanded point, even though the two had teamed up to generate numerous shorthanded chances. Their drought ended at 7:00 of the first. Cirelli stole the puck in the defensive zone and sped down the right wing past Theodore. This created a two-on-zero rush. Cirelli passed to Hagel, who returned the puck to Cirelli — he roofed a one-timer over the glove of Adin Hill.
At 10:37, the Lightning grabbed the lead. After Andrei Vasilevskiy made back-to-back saves on Theodore and Chandler Stephenson, the Lightning countered. Hill stopped a Kucherov shot, then Nic Roy attempted to sweep the puck away from the net. Instead, it came back to Kucherov at the bottom of the left circle, and he centered it. Anthony Duclair redirected it into the goal.
In the first period, the Lightning held Vegas to just seven shots on goal and only 13 total attempts. For much of the second period, Vegas (despite owning more possession time) failed to generate many opportunities. Their best look was a Jack Eichel shot from the right circle that rang off the crossbar.
But with just over three minutes left in the frame, the Lightning allowed another odd-man rush, and Brett Howden finished a snapshot from the left circle. That goal sparked the Golden Knights, who pressed the attack for the rest of the period. They kept their momentum into the early part of the third and applied heavy pressure.
But when Nic Hague committed a tripping penalty at 3:44, the Lightning went on the power play and retook the lead. Point finished a shot from the right circle past Hill’s glove at 4:52. But the advantage was shortlived. Minutes later, the Lightning failed to corral a loose puck in the defensive zone, and after Vasilevskiy stopped a Howden shot, the puck came to Ben Hutton in the slot. He buried his shot at 8:16.
Just under four minutes later, Point tallied the eventual winner. Kucherov directed a puck down the ice. Point hustled to negate a potential icing. The puck caromed off the end boards, and Point collected it at the bottom of the left circle, Noah Hanafin tried to tie up Point’s stick. As a result, Point’s one-timer on net crossed up Hill — the puck slid between his pads at 12:14.
The Lightning effectively locked things down. They successfully navigated through a penalty kill shortly after grabbing the 4-3 lead. They limited chances down the stretch. With just over a minute to go and Hill on the bench for the extra attacker, Stamkos won a d-zone faceoff. Erik Cernak lifted the puck down the ice. Kucherov tracked it and put it into the empty net, sealing the win.
The Lightning have started this five-game road trip with a pair of wins. Next, they head to San Jose for Thursday’s contest against the Sharks.
Lightning Radio Three Stars of the Game:
- Brayden Point — Lightning. Two goals.
- Nikita Kucherov — Lightning. Goal and three assists.
- Jack Eichel — Golden Knights. Assist.
