By Jake Ricker
The Lightning took on the New Jersey Devils last night as they looked to win their second game in a row. Steven Stamkos would return to tonight's game along with Bellemare, who subbed in for Eyssimont. Here are a few things we noticed from the win.
Penalty Kill
Special teams were a big factor in this game, especially the penalty kill. The Bolts PK went 4/5 in last night's game, and some of the kills came at huge times. During the second period, the Lightning found themselves in a tough situation after both Stamkos and Cernak were called for penalties, and they would have to kill off a two-minute 5-on-3. The Lightning held the Devils to just two shots on the 5-on-3 and pulled off a massive kill in what was a tie game. The Lightning then also proceeded to march right down the ice, where Bellemare found Stamkos, who gave the Lightning a 2-1 lead.
While the Power play has had its moments, the Penalty kill has been consistently good for the Lightning, and it comes up big again tonight. This was a huge momentum swing for the Lightning and a major factor in the win.
Top Line Struggles
The top line of Nikita Kucherov, Braydon Point, and Brandon Hagel has been a top-producing line for the Lightnin all season long. However, tonight the Devils had a handle on them. They held the line scoreless and Kept Brayden Point from even shooting the puck. Nikita Kucherov did get an assist on the power play, but 5-on-5 was relatively quiet.
There isn't much to be concerned about, as the other forwards were able to step up and get on the scoresheet, including Steven Stamkos, who scored twice. The first line has been great all season long, so it's not crazy to write this game as an off night for the group.
Stammertime.
Steven Stamkos was a key part of the Lightning's win tonight. Stamkos was all over the ice and defensively sound. Having only had one point in his last five games, Stamkos was due for a big night. Finishing with two goals and one assist, Stammer's most important goal came right after his penalty expired. The goal was a massive momentum swinger for the team after the Devils had been pushing for the majority of the period. Stamkos continues to show that he is one of the best players in the NHL. Hopefully, tonight's performance gets him on a hot streak that can carry over into the postseason.
Final Thoughts
The devils had a lot more success against the Lightning than they did in the first game, but Vasilevskiy was able to hold off most of their chances. The offense kept the Lightning in front coming, though, when it mattered most. The penalty kill was great, and the power play came through in the end. Overall it was a hard-fought win for the Lightning, and it would seem they have mostly broke out of their slump from a few weeks ago.
Three Stars
Media’s three stars
1. Meier (2G)
2. Killorn (Shootout winner)
3. Stamkos (2G,1A)
Our three stars
1. Stamkos (2G,1A)
2. Meier (2G)
3. The penalty kill
The Lightning's next game will be against the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday, March 18th, at 7:00 PM ET.
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