By Jake Ricker
Notable Missing Players
TBL TOR
Kucherov (Injury) Marner (Injury)
Point (Injury) Mrazek (Injury)
Cernak (Injury)
Cirelli (Injury)
Game Summary
1st Period
It was Deja by all over again as the Bolts got off to a less than ideal start. Toronto controlled the momentum early and would draw a penalty. Toronto quickly capitalized and took a 1-0 lead.
The Bolts didn't let the Leaf's momentum last for long as they quickly pushed back. A few minutes after the Toronto goal, Corey Perry made a great pass to Bellmare, who tapped the puck into the back of the net to tie the game at one.
The Lightning kept pushing and eventually drew a power play of their own. Stamkos then blasted a puck right past Campbell to give the Lightning a 2-1 lead.
The Bolts would then take a late penalty with under 2 minutes to play. And once again, Toronto capitalized, tying the game at two.
2nd Period
Both teams came out strong in the second, looking for that next goal. The Lightning would be the team to do just that as they came in on an odd-man rush, Stamkos found Palat to make it a 3-2 hockey game.
But once again, the Leafs were not going anywhere without a fight as they continued to put pressure on Vasy. The Bolts were able to hold them off, but it was all Leafs halfway through this period.
Despite all that pressure from the Leafs, the Lightning finally got the puck back under control, and they took Advantage. Rayddysh then sniped one top shelf to give the Bolts a 4-2 lead.
The Bolts then hunkered down and shut down the Leafs for the rest of the period. Each team would get a few more quality chances, but neither team would find the back of the net, letting the Lightning take a 4-2 lead into the third.
3rd Period
Toronto knew they needed to give it all they had to try and tie this game. However, they would not be rewarded as just 3 minutes into the game; they would be called for a tripping penalty, sending the Bolts to the power play. The Leafs would successfully kill it off, but time was ticking.
The Leafs kept pushing, and they would finally be rewarded as Kase picked up his second of the night to pull the Leafs within one.
The Bolts held down the fort from there, though as Vasy and the Bolts defense held off the leafs. Palat would put one into the empty net to take it 5-3 Bolts.
The time then ticked down to 0, and Jon Cooper would have his 400th career win.
Game Stats
TBL TOR
27 Shots on Goal. 38
33 Face-off % 66
1/3 Power play 2/2
4 PIM 6
44 Hits 25
15 Blocks 9
11 Giveaways 14
10 Takeaways 10
Our Three Stars
1. Stamkos (TBL)
2. Palat (TBL)
3. Kase (TOR)
Media's Three Stars
1. Stamkos (TBL)
2. Palat (TBL)
3. Kase (TOR)
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