The first few shifts for the Tampa Bay Lightning in Thursday night’s game at Rogers Arena weren’t up to the usual standard for the visiting Bolts.
They self-adjusted quickly, earning numerous chances before grabbing control in the latter half of the first period with a 1-0 lead. The Lightning then opened the second period with three quick goals and cruised to a 6-2 late night win over the Vancouver Canucks.
Tampa Bay is now 42-21-4 this season.
“We played hard tonight,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said postgame. “Probably got some bounces, but in the end we probably deserved it. We were going through a little bit of a non-shooting phase for a bit but caught some breaks on some deflections and some tips. In the end this is a league you like to get the lead, extend the lead and then protect the lead, and for the most part we did that tonight.”
Vancouver possessed the puck in Tampa Bay’s defensive zone for multiple minutes to open the game, but the Lightning gained their composure in the second half of the frame. It culminated with a 1-0 lead with 2:23 remaining as Jake Guentzel tipped a Charle-Edouard D’Astous point shot into the Canucks cage.
The goal was Guentzel’s 30th of the season, making him the first player in franchise history to score at least 30 goals in each of their first two campaigns as a Bolt.
The Lightning continued their run of strong hockey to open the second period, scoring three goals in the first 5:31 of action.
Defenseman Darren Raddysh kept the momentum going 49 seconds into the second period, accepting a pass from Nikita Kucherov and blasting a one-timer from the top of the right circle past Canucks goalie Kevin Lankinen.
Tampa Bay furthered its lead on another Raddysh shot from the point, this one being deflected by Yanni Gourde at the net for the forward’s ninth goal of the season and a 3-0 advantage 4:16 into the middle frame.
Kucherov got his team-leading 38th goal of the season moments later, sending a shot toward the net that bounced in off the leg of a Vancouver defenseman 5:31 into the period.
“We came out pretty good there and got three quick ones and kind of turned the game from there,” Raddysh said. "The second period and coming out fast was good for us.”
The Canucks broke into the scoring during the second period with a Liam Ohgren shot from atop the faceoff circles before cutting the deficit to a pair of goals when Linus Karlsson batted a rebound out of mid-air in the third period.
Despite the Canucks getting on the scoresheet, Cirelli said the Lightning didn’t falter.
“Just keep looking forward. They got a goal. It’s hockey, it happens, and it’s just how you respond,” Cirelli said. “What we talked about as a group is no matter what happens, that next shift just go out there and tilt the ice back in our favor.”
Tampa Bay tilted the ice quickly with the 5-2 goal, this one off of Cirelli’s skate in front of the Vancouver net after a pass from Brandon Hagel just 32 seconds after the Canucks goal.
Hagel’s assist on the 5-2 goal marked his 300th point with the Lightning in his 329th game, becoming the third-fastest player in franchise history to register 300 points (Steven Stamkos 302, Brian Bradley 328).
It was Hagel who closed the scoring on Thursday, accepting a pass from Kucherov at the blue line and then scoring off the goalpost with his shot from the left circle for his 32nd tally of the season.
The line of Kucherov, Hagel and Cirelli continues to work well together, combining for eight points in Thursday’s win.
Kucherov and Cirelli co-led the Lightning on offense with a goal and two assists each, while Hagel joined Raddysh and Erik Cernak as two-point performers.
"That group has really been excellent for us on this roadtrip,” Cooper said. “There’s just a lot of work, a lot of skill, a lot of hockey IQ. And when they’re all working and vibing each other, it’s fun to watch.”
Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy made 19 saves for his NHL-leading 32nd win of the season. The Lightning have now won two games in a row.
“I think it’s just building game after game. I liked our game in Seattle and we followed it up here with another win,” Cirelli said. “There’s still some things that we could clean up here and there, but whenever you get two points it’s great, and we’ve just got to keep building and looking forward for the next one.”
Lightning captain Victor Hedman did not play the final two periods on Thursday after exiting due to illness, Cooper told media postgame.
Tampa Bay continues its Canada road trip on Saturday when they visit the Edmonton Oilers (34-27-9) in the first half of a back-to-back. They close the trip on Sunday in Calgary.
“Our team has played a bit more of a direct game. Every time we get in trouble our game gets too cute, and when we do that we can be in trouble and we’ve been spending too much time in our zone,” Cooper said. “For the last couple nights, guys have made a big effort to push that puck north and we’ve defended well. And when we haven’t, the goalie’s been there to make a save for us. We’ve got a tough back-to-back here coming up, let’s get a little rest here. But it’s been nice to get the four points so far.”
Benjamin’s Three Stars:
- Nikita Kucherov, TBL (Goal, 2 assists)
- Anthony Cirelli, TBL (Goal, 2 assists)
- Darren Raddysh, TBL (Goal, assist)
