The Lightning were hoping to improve their play and end their losing streak in the process. Instead, they had another subpar showing and dropped their fourth straight game in regulation.
Through the first 40 minutes, the Lightning struggled mightily with puck management. Repeatedly, they failed to execute clean clears from the defensive zone. Numerous turnovers and icing infractions from the Lightning allowed Winnipeg to own possession for most of the opening two periods. Strong goaltending from Andrei Vasilevskiy helped keep the game at 0-0 until the late stages of the middle stanza. But eventually, the Jets broke through, scoring two goals in the final four and a half minutes of the frame.
While many of their puck miscues occurred in the defensive zone, the Lightning allowed those two goals following turnovers in the offensive zone. On the first, Tanner Pearson stole the puck and forced it ahead to Cole Koepke, who skated into the Lightning end on a two-on-one rush. Vasilevskiy stopped Koepke’s shot, but the rebound came directly to Morgan Barron, who finished the second chance into an open side of the net at 15:31. Mark Scheifele tacked on a second goal with just 18 seconds left in the period. The Lightning once again lost the puck in the offensive zone, and the Jets countered. The Lightning never got organized defensively, and Alex Iafallo set up Scheifele for a one-timer at the left circle.
The Lightning played with higher urgency in the third. They cut the deficit to 2-1 when Brayden Point tallied a power-play goal from the slot at 1:52. But the Jets answered with a key insurance tally just under three minutes later. Pearson forced a steal in the Tampa Bay end, and moments later, Gus Nyqvist fired home an open look from the slot at 5:34.
The Lightning continued to press the attack, but Connor Hellebuyck stopped every other shot that came his way. The Lightning’s aggressive approach yielded some counter looks for the Jets, who thought they’d gone up 4-1 with a Kyle Connor goal off a two on one. But the Lightning successfully challenged the play as being offside. Connor eventually did score, however, when the Lightning pulled Vasilevskiy for an extra attacker.
Defensive problems continue to plague the Lightning’s game. In this contest, their poor execution with the puck also factored into the loss.
The trip continues on Saturday in Toronto.
Lightning Radio Three Stars of the Game:
- Connor Hellebuyck — Jets. 26 saves.
- Mark Scheifele — Jets. Goal and assist.
- Tanner Pearson — Jets. Two assists.
