This was the sort of performance the Lightning have been seeking since the Olympic Break ended. They dominated two of the three periods against Seattle en route to a crucial road win.
From the onset, the Lightning played on their toes and were hungry on pucks. They netted the game’s first goal at 5:45 of the first period. The play started when Jared McCann tried to skate with the puck to center ice. But Gage Goncalves checked him against the side boards at the Seattle blue line to force a turnover. Seconds later, Brayden Point passed to Goncalves at the top of the crease, and Goncalves redirected the puck past Philipp Grubauer.
After failing to score on back-to-back power plays later in the frame, the Lightning successfully killed off a penalty of their own. Moments after the infraction ended, Nikita Kucherov stole the puck from Ben Meyers in the Seattle end. That set up a two-on-one down low for Kucherov and Brandon Hagel. A give-and-go passing sequence created an open net tally for Kucherov at 18:49.
In the opening minute of the second period, Darren Raddysh alertly took advantage of an attempted line change from the Kraken. As the Seattle players left the ice, Raddysh threw a long pass up to Hagel, creating a three-on-one. Hagel fed Anthony Cirelli at the left circle, who connected with Kucherov in front for another goal into an open side of the net. The tally at :57 made it 3-0.
The rest of the period was a struggle for the Lightning, though. A turnover immediately after the ensuing faceoff led to a Bobby McMann goal from the left circle at 1:07. Later in the period, the Lightning went on the penalty kill. Although they killed it off, they allowed a goal four seconds after it ended. McCann came out of the corner for an uncontested shot in front that beat Andrei Vasilevskiy at 9:46. The Kraken almost tied the game seconds later, as Ryan Winterton made a steal after the center ice faceoff and had a breakaway that Vasilevskiy stopped. The Lightning committed another penalty on the play, however, so they went back on the kill. They got through it unscathed, preserving the lead. They maintained their 3-2 lead after 40 minutes.
The Lightning gained control of the game back in the third. Another forechecking steal—this one from Hagel—set up a critical goal from Cirelli, who finished a shot from the front of the net at 4:35. The Lightning effectively maintained the 4-2 lead throughout most of the rest of the game. They forced Seattle to play defense without the puck. A Hagel power-play goal off a tic-tac-toe passing play at 16:54 made it 5-2, and Kucherov’s empty-netter set the final at 6-2.
The key to this win was the Lightning’s ability to dictate the terms of action in the first and third. The Kraken managed to register just eight total shot attempts in the first and only 10 attempts in the third. Having the puck helped the Lightning not only keep the Seattle attack at bay, but it also allowed them to create plenty of great looks themselves. And their top offensive players took full advantage.
The important win to kick off the road trip gave the Lightning two crucial points in the standings.
Lightning Radio Three Stars of the Game:
- Nikita Kucherov — Lightning. Hat trick and two assists.
- Brandon Hagel — Lightning. Goal and three assists.
- Anthony Cirelli — Lightning. Goal and two assists.
