Game Recaps
Undeserved victory? Perhaps, but Lightning earn a critical two points
by Erik Erlendsson | @Erik_Erlendsson | Like us on Facebook
March 1, 2017
TAMPA, Fla. – Sometimes the eye test belies the score. Sometimes the advance stats tell the wrong story.
In the end, it truly is the result that matters, particularly for a Lightning team desperate to pick up victories and points to keep climbing the standings.
That’s why Wednesday’s 4-3 overtime victory against Carolina proved so critical coming in a game where Tampa Bay hardly put forth its best effort. Yet, the win pulled the Lightning to within three points of the final playoff spot with 20 games remaining.
All this despite Tampa Bay proving to be trade deadline sellers, moving three key pieces ahead of Wednesday’s deadline – Ben Bishop, Brian Boyle and Valtteri Filppula, who was the latest to move when he was dealt to Philadelphia.
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Victor Hedman scored his second goal of the game 46 seconds in to overtime to improve Tampa Bay to 7-1-2 in the past 10 games to move back in to 11th place in the Eastern Conference, three points behind Toronto, which currently occupies the second wild card spot, and six points behind Boston for third place in the Atlantic Division.
Nikita Kucherov scored his 27th goal of the season and added a pair of assists to finish with three or more point for the third time in the past four games. Kucherov is the first Lightning player to post at least 12 points in a four-game span since Vinny Lecavalier Nov. 10-19, 2007.
Tyler Johnson also finished with a three-point night, notching a goal and two assists. Andrei Vasilevskiy won his second consecutive start, finishing with 28 saves.
Yet, if you looked at the box score – minus the final score – it would not be difficult to deduce this was a game perhaps the Lightning did not deserve to win. Not that they will feel sorry for having secured the two points despite being held to a season-low 16 shots on goal, with half of those coming in the second period – the only period Tampa Bay did not score in on Wednesday.
”We’ve played a lot of games in the last month and a half where we felt we deserved a better fate and didn’t get it and tonight was probably one where maybe it was just reversed a little bit, but we got points,’’ Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said. “Carolina’s probably sitting there thinking the same thing. We deserved a little bit better fate than they received, but we will take it for sure.’’
Carolina outshot Tampa Bay 18-4 in the first period. The Lightning did score on their second shot of the game, Hedman’s power play goal 7:08 in to the game, but did not get an even strength shot on goal until there was 2:33 left in the opening period.
”I don’t know how the mindset was of our team in the first period, but we were not focused or ready to play that game,’’ Cooper said. ’’I don’t know if there was a stress level going on and a relief level all in the same boat, but we got schooled in the first period. It was another game where Vasy had to come up huge for us just to keep it a one goal game. I think that was the difference for us was keeping it a one goal game.’’
After Hedman’s goal, the Hurricanes headed to the first intermission with the lead on goals from Noah Hanifin and Derek Ryan. But the Lightning settled down in the second period, as the game evened out, though the score remained the same heading in to the final period.
But the third looked more like the first period than the second, though the shots were not quite as lopsided. Yet Tampa Bay could not generate any shots on goal, getting just one shot on net through the first half of the final period. But the second shot – just like the first period – found the back of the net when Jake Dotchin fired a puck that caromed off the boards that struck the toe of a leaping Johnson at 10:51 to tie the game.
Then the third shot found the net, which came after a momentum draining power play chance, as Jason Garrison found Johnson with a crisp pass across the ice. Johnson then slipped a saucer pass to an open, streaking Kucherov who turned his body just enough to shovel the puck in one motion to provide Tampa Bay with a 3-2 lead at 15:18.
Carolina pulled even with a shorthanded goal with 2:37 left in the game before Hedman won the game in overtime as the Lightning scored goals on their final three shots of the game.
”Sometimes you lose games you feel like you should’ve won and today was one of those where we probably wouldn’t argue if they came out with the two points,’’ Hedman said. “We’ll take these two points. In a week or so, you look back at it and it’s two points in the bank. Obviously the performance is something we’ve got to improve on, but two points is two points. At this time of the year, you take them any way you can.’’
Take the two points and run, then tell a tall tale about how they were earned.
”I don’t think we can sit here and be really proud with what we did out there,’’ Johnson said. “We got the win so that’s good, but I think there’s a lot of room for improvement there. Quite frankly, there’s probably games that we’ve lost that we probably should’ve won. Tonight, I don’t know if I can sit here and say that for 100 percent we should’ve got those two points, but luckily for us we were able to get them.’’
Postgame notes: C Gregg McKegg made his Lightning debut after being claimed off waivers on Monday, logging 8:14 of ice time. … With Hedman’s first period goal, Tampa Bay scored five consecutive power play goals, which spans three games. According to Elias Sports Bureau, it’s just the second time in franchise history the Lightning scored five consecutive power play goals and first since March 19, 1995, when they scored five straight in a game at Buffalo. … Kucherov has goals in four consecutive games, matching a career best. … D Luke Witkowski was a healthy scratch. … Hedman recorded his second multi-goal game of the season and fourth of his career..
My three stars:
1.Lightning D Victor Hedman – Overtime winner to record his second multi-goal game of the season
2.Lightning RW Nikita Kucherov – Goal, three points, plus-1, three shots on goal
3.Lightning C Tyler Johnson – Goal, two assists, plus-1
Postgame reaction from Hedman, Johnson and Palat
Jon Cooper’s postgame comments
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