5
0
Philly proves to be a slump buster for the Lightning.
PHI-2
TB-5
Andrei Vasilevskiy allowed two goals on 35 shots for the victory.
First Period
5:52 PHI Frost (12), (Farabee, Tippett)
7:38 TB Killorn (18), (Kucherov, Sergachev)(PP)
Second Period
0:34 TB Kucherov (24), (Sergachev, Killorn)(PP)
8:46 TB Colton (15), (Jeannot, Paul)
10:49 TB Killorn (19), (Cirelli, Hagel)
12:40 PHI Lemieux (1), (York, Ristolainen)
Third Period
17:38 TB Kucherov (25), (Point)(PP)
Alex Killorn, Nikita Kucherov, and Mikey Eyssimont were the game’s three stars.
From a morale standpoint, this was a game the team just had to have. Even with Victor Hedman out injured, there was just no way they would be able to excuse another loss away against this particular opponent. You’d have liked to have seen them hold the three-goal lead to the end of the Second Period and make this a true laugher, but perhaps it’s better they had to keep working most of the final frame before this was truly out of the Flyers’ reach.
So, for those wondering if the semi-freefall the Lightning are in was truly jeopardizing their playoff viability, the Lightning still need just three of a possible twelve points in this segment of the season to be on reasonable playoff pacing. They’ve lost close contact with Toronto for the number two seed in the division bracket, but they’re not in imminent danger of falling out of the playoffs altogether. This is the advantage of bagging so many insurance points early in the season. You can weather these potholes without completely destroying your season.
Mikey Essiymont was -1 with 4 shots, 3 hits, and 1 blocked shot in 10:52. The activity level is good, and if they can integrate him well enough defensively he’s a guy who should just continue to grow into a bigger role. Both the acquisitions have done well for themselves thus far with Jeannot notching another helper tonight.
Box score and extended statistics from NHL.com.
