This was also the third consecutive game in which the Lightning held the opposition to two goals or less. But the Lightning were far less crisp defensively against the Canucks than they had been in the earlier contests at St. Louis and Seattle. Fortunately, Brian Elliott was on top of his game. Elliott stopped 37 of 39 shots and turned aside numerous scoring chances.
The Vancouver Canucks are not a strong defensive team - they entered the game ranking 31st in goals allowed per game. But they sat eighth in goals scored per game. Their defensive woes and offensive capabilities were both on display in the opening period. The Lightning broke down Vancouver's team defense on each of their four first-period goals. But Vancouver was quite dangerous itself - the Canucks registered 18 first-period shots and, like the Lightning, effectively created Grade-A looks. The difference was that Elliott stopped all 18, while Vancouver's starter Spencer Martin allowed four goals on 10 shots and was pulled for Collin Delia.
The second period was a scoreless frame, but, during the closing minutes, the Canucks owned a majority of the possession. That continued in the third, a period in which Vancouver dictated play. While third-period shots were only 9-5 in favor of the Canucks, Vancouver owned a shot attempt advantage of 26-8. They netted a pair of power play goals in the opening 10 minutes, cutting the deficit in half. But they would get no closer, despite applying consistent pressure down the stretch. They pulled Delia for an extra attacker with 3:42 remaining in the game. Over the next two minutes and twenty seconds, the Lightning blocked five Vancouver shot attempts and Elliott made a save on J.T. Miller. Then, Nikita Kucherov exited the defensive zone and passed to Stamkos, who scored from neutral ice into the empty net, completing his hat trick at 18:38.
The Lightning wrap up the back-to-back on Thursday in Edmonton, where they will see another dynamic offensive team. They know they'll need to be tighter in their defensive play. But for now, they will celebrate the accomplishment of their captain. Congratulations to Steven Stamkos.
Lightning Radio Three Stars of the Game:
1. Steven Stamkos - Lightning. 500th goal. Hat trick.
2. Brian Elliott - Lightning. 37 saves.
3. Alex Killorn - Lightning. Two assists.
