By Jake Ricker
The Lightning took on the Ottawa Senators last night as they looked to turn things around on what has been a brutal road trip . Hagel, Cirelli, and Cernak would all return to the lineup, with Jeannot and Sergachev going out. Sergachev would miss tonight because of the birth of his first child. Here are a few things we noticed from the loss.
Brian Elliott
We have mostly defended Brian Elliott, as in his last few starts, he made a few nice saves and largely got left out to dry. However, tonight Elliott struggled giving up at least five goals that he probably wants back. He has given up 19 goals in three games which, even if the defense was bad, is a number that will get you scratching your head.
Elliott will take a backseat to Vasilevskiy come playoff time, but there is no question he is struggling after what started out as a promising season. It is unlikely we see Elliott again unless needed due to an injury to Vasilevskiy.
Power Play
The Power play was the one bright spot in this game, finishing the night 3/5. The Lightning were able to score on a 5-on-3 and on the power play after bringing them within one goal. This is really good to see, as the power play had been struggling as of late. Despite being without Sergachev and Hedman toward the end of the game, the power play still created some good chances.
The Lightning may need to lean on their power play heading into the postseason, so seeing it get hot with two games remaining is just what you want to see.
Jon Cooper's Thoughts
Jon Cooper was frustrated with the team's road trip, saying this after the game. “It was an extremely disappointing road trip. We're playing like the season ended when we clinched a playoff spot, like there was no season left so I’m surprised. I've been with this group a long time. I'm extremely surprised that this is how it's happening”
This team knows they are in a rut, and they need to be better. While we have heard for the last month that this team is just waiting for the playoffs, they better make sure they are ready to go when the time comes.
Final Thoughts
Another bad game and this one largely falls on Elliott. This team was once again outmatched in intensity and drive. We still fully believe they will be ready to go come playoff time, but there is no question it will be an uphill battle. The Lightning now have two games at home left, with one of them against Toronto. If the Lightning can end their season on a positive note and play like they did against Boston and Carolina, there should be almost no concern heading into the postseason.
Three Stars
Media’s three stars
1. Debrincant (1G,1A)
2. Sanderson (2A)
3. Stamkos (3A)
Our three stars
1. Debrincant (1G,1A)
2. Kastelic (1G,1A)
3. Stamkos (3A)
The Lightning's next game will be against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday, April 11th, at 7:00 PM ET.
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