Quick Strikes: Pre-Christmas Cheer, Post-Christmas Hangover & A Pair of Milestones

Photo Credit: NBC Sports

Fresh off of a subpar end to their five-game road trip, collecting two of a possible six points in Western Canada, the Tampa Bay Lightning returned home for five of six games to end 2023. They hoped to use home ice to their advantage, something that helped propel them to the playoffs in previous years.

Unfortunately, this home stand ended up being a mixed bag. The Lightning ended up 3-2 at home and 4-2 overall, a mark that isn’t bad but still leaves room for improvement.

Prior to the Christmas break, the team won three straight. That included a huge comeback win over the defending Stanley Cup champion, Vegas Golden Knights, and a grinding defensive shootout victory against the always tough Washington Capitals in DC.

After the break, the offense went cold, and defense reverted back to the form shown to end the last road trip in Calgary. The results weren’t particularly good, with a close loss to their in-state rivals before getting destroyed by the New York Rangers.

The Lightning then sleepwalked through 30 minutes on New Year’s Eve, spotting the Montreal Canadiens a two-goal lead before coming alive in what ended up being their 11th comeback win this season. That ended 2023 on a high note, something that didn’t look possible after an incredibly weird sequence of events found Jonas Johansson way out of his net and Bolts players asleep at the wheel, giving the Canadiens a free goal.

It wasn’t all bad, though. A couple of stars and leaders on this Bolts team reached important milestones, something that should be recognized.

Nikita Kucherov kicked things off by recording his 300th career goal on December 27 vs the Florida Panthers. For a guy that has been known as an assist machine early in his career, the Russian winger is shooting the puck a lot more this season. As of this writing, he has 168 shots on goal through 37 games. If he keeps shooting the puck at this rate, he’ll easily shatter his career high of 279 shots on net in 2017-18’.

Steven Stamkos followed Kucherov’s milestone by notching one of his own. The Lightning captain tied and then surpassed Vincent Lecavalier for most games played in franchise history at 1,038 in the final game of 2023. This man is a Lightning legend and should be able to retire as a Bolt, so memo to Bolts general manager Julien Brisebois: RE-SIGN HIM NOW! Letting him walk or trading him would be a mistake you’ll certainly regret.

With the Lightning beginning 2024 on the road against some of the best teams in the NHL, they will need to consistently play great hockey to give themselves a chance to win. Can they do that? While unknown at this time, their chances of making the playoffs start with collecting as many points as possible.

ITR 47: Then There Was Nothing Inside The Rink

Join Conrad and Chris as the discuss Gavin McKenna making the jump to the NCAA, Pittsburgh and San Jose making additions, and the NHL season to begin on October 7, 2025.
  1. ITR 47: Then There Was Nothing
  2. ITR 46: Offseason Chaos
  3. ITR 45: Everything Is Happening
  4. ITR 44: We Have A Champion…Again
  5. ITR 43: It's Winning Time

Discover more from Inside The Rink

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Lauren Burg

Lauren Burg is a Tampa Bay Lightning writer for “Inside the Rink.” A lifelong Tampa Bay Area resident, she graduated from the University of South Florida’s world-renowned journalism program in December 2009. While in college, she discovered hockey and the Tampa Bay Lightning. She quickly became a passionate fan, attending many games over the years. She also experienced an All-Star game in 2018, numerous road games, and, most recently, the Bolts back-to-back Stanley Cup championships. Since graduating college, she’s been working hard to combine her two loves, writing and hockey, hoping to one day make that her full-time career. In her free time, she enjoys attending sporting events (both home & road when possible), taking photos, and traveling.

Leave a Reply

Winnipeg Jets

Winnipeg Jets 2025-26 Season Schedule Announced

The Winnipeg Jets announced their 2025-26 season schedule today. It includes notable dates on the calendar for player returns, road and home game stretches, opponent facts, and more. Fortunately for Jets fans, the season starts and ends at home. The season/home opener is set to begin on Thursday, October 9th, when the Jets face the […]

Read More
Buffalo Sabres Sign Jake Leschyshyn

Buffalo Sabres Sign Jake Leschyshyn

The Buffalo Sabres signed forward Jake Leschyshyn to a one-year, two-way deal.

Read More
Detroit Red Wings Sign 13th Overall Pick to ELC

Detroit Red Wings Sign 13th Overall Pick to ELC

The Detroit Red Wings today signed their 13th overall pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft to an Entry Level Contract.

Read More