Specifically, Pat Maroon helped pull his teammates (after a sluggish start) into the heat of battle. Late in the first period, he knocked down Connor McDavid, which started a post-whistle scrum. Then, at the beginning of the second, he fought Klim Kostin. Corey Perry also had a fight with Darnell Nurse, taking place at the end of the first period.
Those plays energized the Lightning, who netted three second-period goals and rallied from deficits of 2-0 and 3-1. The contest was tied entering the third. But Connor McDavid finished a rush chance early in the final frame, putting the Lightning behind on the scoreboard once more. This time, they weren't able to muster a comeback. The Oilers added an empty-netter, setting the final at 5-3.
The game didn't begin well for the Lightning, who ceded the majority of possession in the first period. The Oilers registered 11 of the first 13 shots and grabbed a 1-0 lead when Ryan McLeod deflected in a point shot at 6:13. Following the Maroon incident with McDavid, which occurred moments after Maroon hooked McDavid, the Oilers converted on the ensuing power play. They won a puck battle in the Lightning's defensive zone and Leon Draisaitl one-timed an open chance from the low slot.
But after the fights from Perry and Maroon, the Lightning raised their level. They put 14 shots on net in the second period and recorded 27 shot attempts. At 1:30, Brandon Hagel scored on a rebound after Alex Killorn put an initial shot off the post. Although the Lightning committed a d-zone turnover soon after - leading to a Zach Hyman tally at 3:08 - they didn't let their game sag. Instead, they netted two unanswered goals to tie the game. Brayden Point collected a puck in the neutral zone and, as the Oilers were getting called for a penalty, attacked the offensive end. Point set up Steven Stamkos at the left circle for a one-timer that beat Jack Campbell at 7:51. Just over four minutes later, Stamkos intercepted an Edmonton pass in the neutral zone and led Point across the blue line. Point dropped the puck to Nikita Kucherov at the right point and headed for the front of the net. Kucherov moved the puck cross-ice to Victor Hedman, who wired it towards the net. Point redirected it over Campbell's glove at 12:03.
Before the period ended, Andrei Vasilevskiy denied McDavid on a breakaway by poke-checking the puck off McDavid's stick.
Early in the third, the Lightning weren't quite as crisp as they were in their second-period execution. A broken play just inside the offensive blue line created a counter rush chance for McDavid. He knifed to the front of the net and took a shot. The puck deflected off Vasilevskiy and across the goal line at 2:10.
The Lightning almost tied the game on a couple of occasions. About a minute after the McDavid goal, Campbell made a lunging glove save on a Kucherov shot from the right circle. Later, both Hagel and Anthony Cirelli created dangerous looks, but the puck stayed out. Eventually, Hyman finished the scoring with an empty-netter.
Given the travel circumstances, this was a tough assignment for the Lightning. It was made more difficult when they fell behind early. Credit them for battling back. But then the league's leading scorer made a play. A play that proved to be the difference in the game.
The Lightning's five-game winning streak is over. But they will look to finish this season-long five-game road trip on a high note when they face Calgary on Saturday afternoon.
Lightning Radio Three Stars of the Game (as selected by Brian Engblom):
1. Connor McDavid - Oilers. GWG and assist.
2. Victor Hedman - Lightning. Two assists.
3. Brandon Hagel - Lightning. Goal.
