By Jake Ricker
The Lightning faced off against the Columbus Blue Jackets, looking to bounce back after their win streak ended against the Florida Panthers. Here are a few things we noticed from the Lightning's 6-2 win over the Blue Jackets.
Fast Start
The Lightning got off to one of their best starts to date, scoring two goals in 97 seconds. Those two goals are the third-fastest in Lightning history to start a game and the fastest by an NHL team this season. After a disappointing loss to the Panthers the night before, it's not much of a surprise that the Lightning were ready to go at puck drop in this game.
While that fast start did wear off a bit as the Period went on, these great first 20 minutes have been a big part of the Lightning's success this season. They rank as the second-best team when it comes to first-period goal differential, which constantly puts them in the driver's seat for the rest of the game, letting them control the pace of play.
Power Play
The Lightning power play struggled against the Panthers, going 0/7, and did not get off to a good start in this game either, with the Blue Jackets scoring shorthanded. The Lightning did score on this first power play, but it was called back for offsides. They would later cash in, though, off a slapshot from Hedman late in the third.
This is one area in which the Lightning could still improve. We have seen the Power play both at its best and its worst. It just can't seem to find that consistency. A lot of this could be traced to the team constantly having to change how the power play is run if the Lightning can find that sweet spot of how to run the power play and score consistently. It will make them that much more dangerous for the playoffs.
Jonas Johansson
Johansson has missed a long stretch of hockey due to injury, but in his first game back, he played well. Johansson stopped 31 of 33 shots, and while he would want at least one of them back, it's nothing to shake your head at. Johansson also made some big saves, having to control his rebounds even while being in uncomfortable positions.
While Johansson will not take a majority of the games down the stretch, it is always nice to have Johansson back, who can nicely fill the role of easing the pressure off Vasielvskiy before heading into the playoffs.
Next, the Lightning will take on a division rival, the Buffalo Sabers, on Thursday, March 6th. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 PM EST at Amalie Arena.
Want to start your journalism career by writing about the Tampa Bay Lightning? Send us a message via our contact form located in the upper right-hand corner under the more tab, or send us a message via Twitter to get started.
Comments