Lightning rally for five unanswered goals for 2nd straight win

by Erik Erlendsson | @Erik_Erlendsson | Like us on Facebook
December 22, 2016

TAMPA, Fla. –Sometimes it’s not about the results, but the process.

The situation the Lightning find themselves in, however, demand results.

Finally, some of those results are coming for Tampa Bay through the result of the process.

The Lightning scored five unanswered goals to rally and beat St. Louis 5-2 on Thursday at Amalie Arena and have won consecutive games for the first time in more than a month.

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Tampa Bay has now picked up at least a point in six of the past nine games and won consecutive games for the first time since Nov. 15 and 17, the tail end of a four-game winning streak.

The continuing emergence of Jonathan Drouin has been a big factor as the former third overall pick set a regular season career high with three points, scoring twice and adding an assist. Defenseman Victor Hedman registered three assists to give him 29 points on the season.

Michael Bournival, called up from Syracuse earlier in the day, scored his first NHL goal in nearly two years while playing his fifth game in seven nights.

The hard work and commitment Tampa Bay put in for the final two periods epitomizes the way in which the Lightning have climbed out of the pitfall created from the previous month.

“Ultimately, you get judged in wins and losses, but internally when you work your way out of something, it’s how you’re working your way out,” Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said. “I really thought when we played St. Louis in St. Louis (on Dec. 1) and we were down 4-1 and we battled back, we didn’t win that game, but you could see things were turning for us. Ever since then, I think the one game, probably the Vancouver game at home, but other than that, those guys have worked. We’ve been on the point side of most of them. Some of them we haven’t.

“But I just have liked the way our game has transitioned, and we’ve been getting better. It’s funny, the more guys we lose, guys keep coming in and their effort is willing us to games so it’s been nice.”

It could have turned the other way against the Blues, who scored two goals 32 seconds apart in the first period, taking advantage of a Brayden Point ill-advised pass in his own zone and then an offensive zone turnover and a poor back check to take the lead in to the first intermission.

There was an awareness, however, of what Tampa Bay did poorly in the first period and what needed to change to turn things around in the second.

“Obviously not the start that we wanted,’’ said center Brian Boyle, who scored his fourth goal in six games. “There was plenty said between the first and the second. The good thing is I think we all looked around even before we were told what we needed to improve on by the coaching staff. I think we kind of echoed that prior to that amongst ourselves.’’

It all came down to getting back to hard work. Stop trying to be a skilled team and instead be a hard-working team with skill. Both of the first goals were scored on deflections in front of the net, including Bournival’s tying goal with 2:33 left in the second period, getting a stick on Jason Garrison’s wrist shot for his first NHL goal since Feb. 24, 2015, while with the Montreal Canadiens.

“For sure it was a relief,” said Bournival, who arrived in Tampa at 2:30 p.m. after playing for Syracuse the night before.

Alex Killorn’s game-winning goal came 5:25 in to the third period as he skated from the right point after taking a pass down low from Anton Stralman, skated to the high slot area and found a seam through a maze of bodies in front for his 11th goal of the season.

Then the skill of Drouin was on display, cutting to the net to take a pass from Valtteri Filppula, and making a quick deke to his backhand to catch goaltender Jake Allen before putting the puck in to the vacated side of the net with 1:40 left in the game.

But perhaps the best showing of the net that summed up the work put in by Tampa Bay came from the makeshift fourth line that included Nikita Nesterov, who was dressed as the seventh defenseman, but after taking three shifts in the first period was pushed in to a forward role, taking shifts with J.T. Brown and Bournival. The trio was on the ice for the tying goal and proved effective for the final two periods.

“I just wasn’t vibing the 11-7 tonight,” Cooper said. “I told Nesterov before the game that there was potential he could play forward tonight. I think he got a breakaway almost in his first shift, but he can skate. He was physical. He was in on the forecheck.

“I don’t know if they woke up in the morning and thought with 2:44 left protecting a one-goal lead that line was going to be out against Tarasenko, Schwartz, and Lehtera or whoever it was. They did an outstanding job against them. They skated, they competed, and they worked, and they played a 200-foot game. That’s what we needed. Those guys committed to it and they got rewarded.”

Proving the sticking with the structure leads to understanding the process.

The results tend to follow.

Postgame notes: C Cedric Paquette missed the morning skate, took part in pregame warmups but was scratched. … C Vladislav Namestnikov missed the game due to illness, so LW Michael Bournival was called up on an emergency basis. … Tampa Bay has a power play goal in six consecutive games, the longest streak since Jan. 22 – Feb. 2, 2013. … LW Jonathan Drouin has points in four consecutive games. … D Victor Hedman has points in five consecutive games, tying a career best. … The victory was the first for Tampa Bay against St. Louis since Nov. 2, 2013. … RW Nikita Kucherov took part in the morning skate, but did not participate in all the drills and was not part of special teams practice. … LW Ondrej Palat was a full participant in the morning skate, taking line rushes and working on special teams, but was scratched with an undisclosed injury and missed his fourth consecutive game. … Tampa Bay is 1-1-1 in the second half of back-to-back games.

My three stars:

1. Lightning LW Jonathan Drouin– Two goals, three points, plus-2, five shots, 20 minutes of ice time

2. Lightning D Victor Hedman – Three assists, plus-2, 22 minutes

3. Lightning LW Alex Killorn – Game-winning goal, five shots

Jon Cooper after a 5-2 victory against St. Louis

Michael Bournival talks about his first NHL goal in nearly two years

Brian Boyle after a 5-2 victory against St. Louis

Victor Hedman following a 5-2 victory against St. Louis

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