5
0
No Kucherov? Dial Z for Zemgus.
TB-5
MTL-3
Andrei Vasilevskiy allowed three goals on 35 shots for the victory. The opponent again carried wide swaths of this game and Vasilevskiy again filled the cracks when things went sideways, including stopping a penalty shot.
First Period
6:56 TB Paul (16), (Hagel)
10:28 TB Hedman (8), (Goncalves, Cirelli)
18:53 MTL Gallagher (13), (Newhook, Matheson)(PP)
Second Period
1:05 TB Point (31), (Guentzel, Hedman)(PP)
6:43 TB Girgensons (1), (Atkinson, Eyssimont)
12:45 MTL Dvorak (6), (Savard, Slafkovsky)
Third Period
9:19 MTL Gallagher (14), (unassisted)
19:44 TB Cirelli (20), (Guentzel, Hagel)(EN)
Victor Hedman and Brayden Point were the game’s first and third stars. How they denied Zemgus Girgensons a star on his night is a travesty that may never be explained.
Like the game against Detroit, this wasn’t the Lightning’s best effort but they again felt the puck luck tilt toward them by getting four goals in the run of play on only 20 shots before adding the empty netter. Nikita Kucherov got the game off and the team really looked confused what to do without him in the First Period, but they were opportunistic when a small number of chances came. Also, after coming up goalless in 54 games, Girgensons could drive 55 for his first of the season. Fun fact: the Lightning are unbeaten when either Glendening or Girgensons score a goal. I guess it’s nothin’ but a G thang.
After winning four in a row, lo and behold the Lightning are right back at that magical .600 win percentage mark you want to be at to make the playoffs comfortably and they’re just two points back of Toronto and five points back of Sunrise with two games in hand in the division. Things two roads diverged on this little sojourn through the Atlantic Division right before the break and the Lightning thankfully selected the road that leads to playoff life.
JJ Moser was activated from IR prior to the game so expect him to be back for the first game right after the 4 Nations Cup break.
Dylan Duke was -1 with 3 hits in 8:05. He’ll head back to Syracuse while the 4 Nations Cup break starts with a little more knowledge about the speed of the game up top and what he needs to work on.
Gage Goncalves had a helper, 2 shots, 1 hit, and 1 blocked shot in 15:21 and also came up empty on a breakaway. I wonder if they’ll also send him to Syracuse to get some games over the break.
Box score and extended statistics from NHL.com.
