(Photo via TBT.com)
By Michael Wax
Lightning win their 2nd game in a row, moving to 37-12-6.
The following players missed last night's game due to injury:
TBL: D Zach Bogosian
CHI: C Reese Johnson
Game Summary
1st Period
The Lightning had a very rough time defensively in the first period, which has become a concerning trend of late. Chicago had numerous odd-man rush opportunities, and Andrei Vasilevskiy had to be on the top of his game. The NHL's top goaltender showed up big time in the first period, including this save on Kirby Dach.
Ultimately, Chicago would score first off a broken play, Dylan Strome being the recipient of a solid backhand pass from Patrick Kane, sending the Lightning into the intermission at a 1-0 deficit.
2nd Period
As is customary since the All-Star break, the Lightning followed a bad start with a better effort in the middle frame. While the odd-man rushes and defensive breakdowns were still there, the offensive zone time increased and the Bolts were finally able to connect on their passes. A little more than a minute in, Cal Foote's shot from the blue line hit a body in front, which directed to a streaking Taylor Raddysh. Raddysh floated a backhander past Fleury for his first goal since December 14 and his fifth of the season, tying the game at one.
After Chicago made it a 2-1 game off a Kane wrist shot, the Lightning got right back to work on the power play. They generated several great chances, and as the power play expired Steven Stamkos fed Victor Hedman at the top of the slot, and he hammered the puck past Fleury to tie the game at two.
Less than two minutes later, the switched up forward line of Cirelli-Point-Kucherov was putting in a solid amount of work right in front of the net, and Cal Foote seized upon an opportunity and raced towards the open left side. Cirelli fed him a puck through a decent amount of traffic, and Foote buried it for his first of the season and his first in over a calendar year to give the Lightning a 3-2 lead. The Lightning would take that 3-2 lead into the locker room at second intermission.
3rd Period
In a matter of 32 seconds, the game went from a close affair to a blowout.
First, a good cycle contributed to Hedman's second goal of the night, as Sergachev fed him for another one-timer.
13 seconds later, Corey Perry capitalized on a brutal Chicago turnover to make it 5-2.
Finally, 19 seconds after the Perry goal, Sergachev took a faceoff win and fired a wrist shot for his third goal in four games to make it 6-2.
The three goals in just 32 seconds was a new Lightning record, as explained by the Lightning's own Erik Erlendsson
Chicago wasn't out of it, though, as they pressured the Lightning for the rest of the game. A tip-in goal from Alex DeBrincat made it 6-3, and made every effort to make it a 6-4 game. Andrei Vasilevskiy, in a spectacular game, made this save-of-the-year candidate to keep it at 6-3.
The Bolts will take on the Winnipeg Jets in the first game of a four game Canadian road trip.
Our Three Stars
1. Hedman (TBL): 2 Goals
2. Vasilevskiy (TBL): 24 Saves
3. Foote (TBL): 1 Goal, 1 Assist
Media's Three Stars
1. Hedman (TBL): 2 Goals
2. Vasilevskiy (TBL): 24 Saves
3. Sergachev (TBL): 1 Goal, 2 Assists
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