The Tampa Bay Lightning talked repeatedly about needing better execution after Tuesday’s loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets.
They showed a step forward on Thursday, getting back into the win column with a 4-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings in an Atlantic Division clash at Benchmark International Arena.
Four different Bolts finished with two points on a night that Nikita Kucherov hit 1,100 career points and head coach Jon Cooper became the third coach in NHL history to reach 700 wins (regular season and playoffs combined) with a single franchise, joining Al Arbour and Lindy Ruff.
“It was by no means a perfect game, but there was a lot of things to take from it aside from the two points,” Cooper said. “We played with much more emotion. We skated better. We were decent at getting the puck out of our own end. I think we had some faults, but we were better.”
Tampa Bay is now 40-20-4 this season after Thursday’s effort, which began with a scoreless first period despite the Lightning earning numerous chances thanks to puck movement, playing with speed and attacking the Detroit net.
The Lightning finally broke the seal on a power-play rush less than a minute into the second period. Forward Corey Perry won a puck battle and fed Kucherov in the neutral zone, who passed to a charging Jake Guentzel atop the right circle.
Guentzel fired his shot from the right hashmark and beat Detroit goalie John Gibson through the legpads 49 seconds into the middle frame.
“I thought as a team we played a lot better tonight,” Brayden Point said postgame. “It seemed like our intensity was up and we were a lot quicker to pucks. I think the last few games, we've just been really slow to pucks and playing slow, and that's been giving teams a bunch of opportunities. So I thought tonight we were more engaged and it was a better game.”
Tampa Bay appeared to build on the lead in the second period, but the goal was waved off due to goaltender interference.
Detroit had the better chances for much of the second period, holding the puck in the Lightning zone for several minutes. Goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy kept the Red Wings off the scoresheet, making 13 saves in the period and 24 overall for the win.
Tampa Bay did get their second goal in the third period when Brayden Point’s windup from the blue line ricocheted in off a Red Wing’s shinpad and then Gage Goncalves’ skate 1:35 into the final frame.
The goal was Goncalves’ ninth of the season, a new career high in the NHL.
That goal proved to be crucial for Tampa Bay, as Detroit entered the scoring scene on a JT Compher redirection to cut the lead to 2-1 just under eight minutes into the period.
Goncalves scored his second goal of the night with 3:38 remaining when another shot by Point hit Goncalves and then the back of the net to make it 3-1. Guentzel added an empty-net goal for the 4-1 final.
“If you watch all of them, I haven't shot one in the net,” Goncalves said with a laugh. “But they've gone toe, hip and somehow hit my stick. I’m just trying to get to the net, and I'm just happy they're going in.”
Goncalves now has three goals over his last two games after missing four games due to injury.
“It's hard not being in the fight with the guys and not being there on the bench and in the camaraderie when you're in the room every day. I’m just happy to be back and happy to help.”
Thursday’s win was Vasilevskiy’s 30th of the season, making him the sixth goalie in NHL history to post at least nine seasons of 30-plus wins in their career.
Goncalves was one of four Bolts to finish with two points, joined by Guentzel’s two goals as well as Kucherov and Point with two assists.
Kucherov’s second assist of the night on Goncalves’ second goal was his 1,100th point in the NHL. He became the fourth-fastest player born outside of North America to the mark, doing so in his 863rd game. Only Peter Stastny (793), Jari Kurri (824) and Jaromir Jagr (825) hit the mark faster.
“He probably doesn't get the recognition he deserves, but he's the best player in the league,” Goncalves said of Kucherov. “I mean, he might hit 200 at the end of this year, who knows? He’s unbelievable, and we're really proud of Kuch.”
Tampa Bay now shifts its attention to the Carolina Hurricanes, who will visit Benchmark International Arena on Saturday for a 7 p.m. game to close the Lightning homestand.
Benjamin’s Three Stars:
- Gage Goncalves, TBL (2 goals)
- Andrei Vasilevskiy, TBL (24-save win)
- Brayden Point, TBL (2 assists)
