By Jake Ricker
The Tampa Bay Lightning looked to bounce back after a long road trip and returning back to Amalie Arena. Here is how they stacked up against the Kings.
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Here are the biggest takeaways from the Lightning's 3-2 OT win over the Kings.
Hagel's Bagels
Brandon Hagel was in an 18-game goalless drought before scoring an empty netter against Minessota Wild. While an empty net goal was big for Hagel's confidence, the Lightning were still missing his production. Tonight, Hagel broke through in a big way, or as Jon Cooper called it, the Brandon Hagel Show. Hagel was all over the ice tonight, creating turnovers, taking shots, and jumping in on the forecheck. He was finally able to break through late in a huge game- the third with a tying goal. This goal is a perfect example of the type of player Hagel is. After entering the zone with speed, he was able to get to the net and fight off defenders while keeping control of the puck and sliding it into the back of the net. The celebration Hagel had, though, just goes to show you the energy he can bring to the lineup.
Composer
For the last few games, the Lightning have played decent hockey. They were scoring first, creating chances, and limiting mistakes. However, every mistake they did have was in the back of their net, and they could not get any luck to bounce their way. Tonight was more of the same when the Lightning dominated zone time but went down 2-0 to the Kings in the second half of the second period. Despite all this, the Lightning did not stop pushing, and when the game did finally open back up, they continued to play to their strengths and were finally able to break through in the final 20 minutes. Jon Cooper has preached process over outcome, and tonight, they had the process but also finally got the results to go along with it. Nicky P
We could not have a game recap without talking about the Lightning's game-winning goal. There has been a lot of talk about the young Lightning defenders and how they haven't been able to match their performances last year. Perbix showed tonight he can still bring that high level of play. Perbix was not noticeable defensively, which is a good thing. While being sound on the back end, he also made a fantastic play in overtime to bounce the puck off his skate, keep it in front, and make a nice backhanded shot to win the game for the Lightning. You can't expect guys to play perfectly every night, but this is the kind of play they need from players to get the Lightning back on track.
500 for Coop
Jon Cooper reached 500 career wins tonight, continuing to bolster his already impressive resume. Tonight's win makes him the 29th NHL coach to hit 500 career wins and the 6th to do it with a single franchise. He is also the 3rd fastest to hit 500 wins and the fastest to do it with a single franchise. In Cooper fashion, he gave credit to his coaching staff, saying that it wouldn't have been possible without them. A true leader giving credit to his supporting staff and taking the spotlight off him. How Cooper has not won a Jack Adams is something to wonder. Tonight is another reason, though, that shows the world-class culture that Cooper has built and why he is a coach who knows how to get it done.
Three Stars
Media's three-stars
1. Perbix (1G,1A)
2. Hagel (1G,1A)
3. Roy (1G)
Our three-stars
1. Hagel (1G,1A)
2. Perbix (1G,1A)
3. Roy (1G)
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