Mishkin's Extra Shift: Lightning 6, Oilers 3

What a road trip this was for the Lightning. They went 3-0-1 over the four games and are now on an 11-0-1 point streak, the third-longest in franchise history. Here are the takeaways from this victory over the Edmonton Oilers.

Circumstantially, this looked to be a potentially difficult game for the Lightning. They were at the end of a long trip. The holiday break was about to begin. The Oilers were well-rested, not having played since Tuesday. They were eager to snap a two-game losing streak (and had been stewing over that skid for four days). Then, the Lightning twice fell behind by a goal. But none of those factors seemed to affect the Lightning, who scored five of the game's final six goals.
-Understanding that the Oilers did score three goals, this was - from start to finish - the Lightning's best overall defensive performance on the road trip. Yes, Connor McDavid generated some dangerous looks and finished with three assists. But, as a whole, the Lightning limited turnovers, managed the puck well, defended tightly in front of Andrei Vasilevskiy and didn't allow the Oilers to build momentum for any extended periods of time.
-On the other hand, the Lightning did enjoy some long segments in which they dominated play. The final nine minutes of the first period was the first stretch - the Lightning peppered Mikko Koskinen with shots and generated numerous scoring chances. They did get one puck past him - Steven Stamkos' power play goal tied the game - and were able to enter the first intermission tied at one. The second stretch began with Nikita Kucherov's second period goal at the 13:00 minute mark. At the time, the Oilers were leading, 2-1, and in possession of the puck in the offensive zone. But Jesse Puljujarvi fumbled the puck near the blue line and Kucherov grabbed it, scoring on the ensuing breakaway. The Lightning rode the momentum from that goal to control the final seven minutes of the second. They grabbed the lead for good with J.T. Miller's goal at 14:32. Then in the third period, the Lightning reestablished control of the game when they successfully killed off Ryan Callahan's penalty, which occurred at 9:15. The Oilers had scored on their first two power play chances, including Leon Draisaitl's goal at 6:17 of the third. That tally had cut the Lightning lead to 4-3. The Oilers were hoping to ride their power play to a tying goal, but the Lightning delivered a rock-solid kill. Following that kill, the Lightning managed the game well for the next several minutes and eventually regained a two-goal lead when Stamkos netted his second goal with 4:57 remaining.
-Thanks to the Lightning's strong defensive performance, Vasilevskiy only faced 28 shots. But he did have to make some key situational saves., including a sprawling stop on McDavid in the closing seconds of the first and a crucial skate save on Draisaitl late in the second.
-The Lightning line of Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point and Tyler Johnson was matched up for most of the night against McDavid's line. After Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored in the first period off a McDavid feed, the Point line was minus one. But they would team up for four even-strength goals after that early Edmonton tally - all four of those Lightning goals came with McDavid and Nugent-Hopkins on the ice.
-Kucherov had a monster game, setting a personal best with four assists and five points. If not for Koskinen's save on a Kucherov breakaway early in the second, the Lightning forward could have had even more. He netted that all-important second period goal (after he deked on the initial breakaway and Koskinen made the save, he shot the puck on the second breakaway and scored). His assists were equally dynamic. He threaded a cross-ice pass to Stamkos on the first period power play goal. On Johnson's early third period goal, he delivered a quick outlet from the d-zone, allowing Johnson and Point to counter on a two-on-one. On the fifth Lightning goal, he put a drop-pass right in Stamkos' wheelhouse. Finally, with the Edmonton net empty, he maneuvered the puck away from two Oilers at center ice, putting it cross ice so that Johnson could collect it and eventually score the empty-netter.
-Stamkos also had a big night. His two goals were perfect shots - and his magical December continues. He has tied a personal-best with 12 goals this month (accomplished twice before).
The Lightning wrapped up a segment in which they faced five Canadian-based teams all playing some of their best hockey of the season. They gained nine of out a possible ten points and roll into the holiday break with 58 points through 37 games.
Lightning Radio Three Stars of the Game:
1. Nikita Kucherov - Lightning. Career-best four assists and five points.
2. Steven Stamkos - Lightning. Two goals.
3. J.T. Miller - Lightning. Goal.