By Jake Ricker
The Lightning took on the Detroit Red Wings last night as they looked to bounce back from an overtime loss to the Sabers. The Red Wings had already beaten the Lightning twice this season, and the Bolts would be looking to get themselves in the win column. Here are a few things we noticed from the win.
Andrei Vasilevskiy
What can we say? Vasilevskiy was outstanding tonight. Stopping all 45 saves he faced, Vasilevskiy tied the franchise record for most saves in a shutout by a Lightning goaltender. He is the third goalie to do so after Ben Bishop and Daren Puppa. The 45 saves tie Vasilevskiy's record for 4th most saves in a game.
Vasy was nothing short of amazing, as he controlled most of his rebounds and made huge saves when he needed to. He even made another Jaw dropping save, where he stretched into a full split to make the stop. Each and every night, Vasilevskiy amazes us with what he can do. Tonight he bailed out the Lightning and was a huge reason the Lightning got the win.
Power Play
We have talked about the Lightning's power play issues before, and tonight was no different. The Lightning continue to give up shorthanded chances and just seem to want to pass the puck more than shoot it. Their zone entries and retrieving pucks were the main issues tonight, and not just on the power play. This is also what led to some of the struggles with 5-on-5 offense.
The Lightning have the ability to have one of the most lethal power plays in the league. They have shown it through the season. But something needs to change, especially on the road, if the Lightning want to have success in the Playoffs.
Sloppy Defense
As mentioned, Vasilevskiy had to face 45 total shots on net. The defense was less than stellar in this one. The Lightning could not get to loose pucks fast enough, causing Detroit to control most of the game. They also were unable to prevent the Red Wings from getting in close and creating this grade-A chances.
Missing Eric Cernak, who is serving a two-game suspension, didn't help. However, if the Lightning want to find success in the playoffs, they will need the younger defensemen to step up and make sure this doesn't happen again. Limit shots to the outside and get to those loose pucks.
Final Thoughts
Vasilevskiy was the star of this one, and enough can't be said about his performance. The Lightning really struggled to get to the loose pucks, and that was a big reason they had so many issues, both defensively and offensively. However, sometimes all you need is a few good bounces and your goaltender to steal one. That is exactly what happened tonight. As long as this does not become a regular occurrence, the Lightning should have nothing to worry about.
Three Stars
Media's three stars
1. Vasilevskiy (45 SV, 0GA)
2. Point (1G, 1A)
3. Kucherov (1G, 1A)
Our three stars
1. Vasilevskiy
2. The Big Cat
3. Vasy
The Lightning's next game will be against the Pittsburg Penguins on Sunday, February 26th, at 6:00 PM ET.
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