In terms of their offensive attack, there were two big differences between this game and last Thursday's contest versus Vancouver. Two nights ago, the Lightning did carry play for long stretches and generated some dangerous chances. But many of their looks versus the Canucks were from the perimeter and three unsuccessful second period power plays sapped their momentum. Against Columbus, it was a different story. First, the Lightning were able to produce Grade-A chances from high traffic areas around the net. Each of their first four goals - three of which were five-on-five tallies - came from the hashmarks in. Second, in going 4-7 on the power play, the Lightning had a shooting mentality. They recorded 11 power play shots in the game.
But those two specific elements weren't the only reasons why the Lightning won. Even though first period shots were fairly close (12-9 Tampa Bay), the Lightning controlled much of the play. They broke out of their own zone effectively, used their speed through the neutral zone and forechecked tenaciously. The first two goals were the direct result of pucks retrieved/stolen in the Columbus end. Victor Hedman finished his own rebound from the top of the crease after the reunited line of the Triplets grabbed the puck in the offensive zone. Later, following a Yanni Gourde steal and pass, Cedric Paquette zipped a shot from the slot into the top of the net. Gourde extended the lead during a late first period power play when he pounced on a rebound of a Mikhail Sergachev point shot and fired it home from the low slot.
In the second period, Columbus reversed momentum. The Blue Jackets outshot the Lightning, 16-5, and owned a 29-8 edge in shot attempts. The Lightning had to kill both a four-minute double minor and then another penalty later in the period. While the Blue Jackets didn't score on any of those, the man advantages helped them establish their possession game. Compared to the first period, the Lightning had a harder time breaking out of their own end cleanly. After a tough, extended shift in which they struggled to complete a full line change, the Lightning thought they were going to get a whistle on a Columbus icing. But the close call didn't go their way and play continued. The Blue Jackets eventually scored to cut the Lightning lead to 3-1. Later in the frame, Oliver Bjorkstrand stole the puck in the Lightning's end and put two shots on net. He converted on the second of those, making the score, 3-2.
So credit Columbus for elevating its game in the middle stanza. But the Lightning would receive a key goal in the final minute. A bouncing puck off the end wall ricocheted to the front of the Columbus net. It ended up on the stick of Brayden Point, who rifled in a shot from the low slot. Then, in the closing seconds, Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov teamed up on a two-on-one rush. Kucherov drew a slashing penalty and the Lightning began the third period on the power play.
When Point scored on that man advantage, the Lightning had their three-goal lead back. And they would add to it throughout the third. Just as Columbus gained possession time and momentum from second period power play chances, the Lightning did in the third. Including the opportunity at the beginning of the frame, Tampa Bay enjoyed five separate third period power plays and converted on three of them. They effectively reversed the shot numbers from the second - third period shots were 14-7 and attempts were 26-11.
In the end, the Lightning were deserving of the victory. Their commitment to getting "greasy" goals, shooting on the power play and recording five successful penalty kills all contributed to the outcome.
Lightning Radio Three Stars of the Game (as selected by Jassen Cullimore):
1. J.T. Miller - Lightning. Goal and two assists.
2. Andrei Vasilevskiy - Lightning. 30 saves.
3. Brayden Point - Lightning. Two goals and assist.
