Margin for error slims down more for Lightning after setback in Pittsburgh

by Erik Erlendsson | @Erik_Erlendsson | Like us on Facebook
March 3, 2017

Tampa Bay has very little margin for error in its evaporating playoff hopes.

But there is a little. And most of that was used up on Friday in Pittsburgh as the Lightning fell 5-2 to the Penguins at PPG Paints Arena.

In the race to reach the 93-point mark – the projected number of points it’s going to take to make the playoffs in the Eastern Conference according to Hockey-Reference.com – Tampa Bay was always going to drop a couple here or there along the way.

With Pittsburgh on the schedule, and the way recent meetings have gone against the Penguins, this was one of those games that even getting a point would have been a win.

But despite the best efforts of goaltender Peter Budaj, who made his Lightning debut and stopped 30 shots, Tampa Bay suffered its second regulation loss since Feb. 2

It puts an extra emphasis to pick up a win on Saturday in Buffalo.

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”We’ve been on a pretty good run here and we probably weren’t going to go 20-0 down the stretch but it makes (Saturday) pivotal,’’ Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said. “We have no margin for error. So we gave one up tonight, credit to Pittsburgh they are a good team, but we need these points. Buffalo is in the same position as we are, both scratching and clawing the way we are. We just need to scratch a little harder.’’

The Lightning did plenty of good things during Friday’s game, played a solid road game and came out of the first period scoreless with each team generating nine shots on goal. Exactly the kind of start Tampa Bay needed after two slow starts in the previous two games.

The Lightning even gained the lead, with Cedric Paquette getting in deep on the forecheck to create a turnover allowing Vladislav Namestnikov to feed Adam Erne in front for a quick shot at 6:18 for Erne’s first career goal.

But the defensive awareness, which has been pretty spot on during the past 10 games as Tampa Bay earned points in nine games, was not as sharp against the Penguins. Evgeni Malkin tied the game on the power play, cutting down the back door unmarked to convert a Phil Kessel pass at 8:39 to tie the game on the power play.

The Penguins would then go on to dominate the rest of the period, with only the strong showing by Budaj keeping the game close while he faced the onslaught of 15 shots on goal. So it felt inevitable that the Penguins would grab the lead when Pittsburgh caught Tampa Bay in a line change and Malkin once again finished off a Kessel pass as he slid in to the slot to one-time a puck that struck the skate of Victor Hedman and skittered past Budaj with 3:11 left in the second period.

”I thought we had that game in control, it was pretty even and then we just made young mistakes,’’ Cooper said.

That continued in the third after Nikita Kucherov scored on the power play at 1:10 – his career best fifth consecutive game with a goal after one-timing a nifty backhand pass from Jonathan Drouin – only to see Pittsburgh strike back. While on a delayed penalty call, the Lightning were mesmerized by Malkin as he held the puck along the right side of the ice. With all five Tampa Bay defenders on the same side as Malkin, he slipped a pass over to an wide open Mark Streit – who the Lightning dealt to the Penguins on Wednesday – at the left circle for a wide open chance he put past Budaj to regain the lead at 2:38.

The Lightning a decent push back after falling behind, getting 12 shots on goal, but failed to convert on a power play chance at 8:16. The push was thwarted when defenseman Andrej Sustr lost the puck along the boards in his own end and then was forced to take a hooking call on the play.

That allowed the Penguins to put the game away as Justin Schultz converted on the man advantage to put Pittsburgh ahead 4-2 with 3:23 remaining on another quality chance from the slot, which was the story of the night in front of Budaj.

”He was exceptional, he was really good,’’ Cooper said of Budaj. “I can’t fault him on the goals, it’s the five-guys in front of him giving up the chances. He stopped everything he was supposed to and probably a few more.’’

Now the Lightning shuffle off to Buffalo, hoping to waltz out with a crucial win.

Postgame notes: D Luke Witkowski was scratched for the ninth consecutive game. … RW Adam Erne became the third different Lightning rookie to score their first career goal this season, joining Brayden Point and Matthew Peca. … Pittsburgh swept the season series from Tampa Bay, scoring six power play goals in the three games. … Tampa Bay has one regular season victory in Pittsburgh in the past 12 games, going 1-10-1 in that span. … The Lightning scored their 50th power play goal of the season, a league high. … The five goals allowed are the most since Feb. 2 against Ottawa. … Tampa Bay has a power play goal in four consecutive games. …

My three stars:
1.Penguins C Evgeni Malkin – Two goals, assist, plus-2, seven shot attempts

2.Lightning RW Nikita Kucherov – Goal, seven shots on goal, 11 shot attempts, three hits

3.Penguins D Mark Streit – Game winning goal, assist, plus-1, four shots on goal

Postgame reaction from Hedman, Johnson and Palat

Peter Budaj postgame reaction

Adam Erne first career goal

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