TAMPA BAY, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Lightning returned home to host the Anaheim Ducks for a rematch. The two teams last met on Jan. 5 at the Honda Center, where Anaheim won 4-1.
However, last night’s game at Amalie Arena was a different spectacle than the previous game, as the Bolts buckled down offensively and repaired some loose ends in their game. Here’s how the game went.
Both Andrei Vasilevskiy and Lukas Dostal had themselves games and would inevitably be the two of three stars of the game.
To start off the first period, Anaheim broke ice and opened the scoring just six minutes in. Troy Terry opened the scoring to start the first as he tipped the puck past Vasilevskiy from an initial pass by Ryan Strome.
Anthony Cirelli responded by tying it up on the power play after snapping in a close-to-crease goal from a saucer by Brandon Hagel. In addition to the goal, the Bolts’ captain, Victor Hedman, notched 600-career assists from a secondary assist to Cirelli’s PP goal — making him the first Tampa Bay Lightning player to ever do it.
In a similar fashion, Jake Guentzel broke the tie on the power play from a cross-ice feed by Nikita Kucherov to start off the second period. The second PP unit got it done, as the Bolts’ second goal of the game was off another power play opportunity.
With 8:31 to go in the second, though, Leo Carlsson tied the score at two after he ripped one past Vasilevskiy from a short pass by Mason McTavish. A good forecheck in their offensive zone rewarded the Ducks with a needed tie goal.
Then, at 4:34, off a two-on-one with Brayden Point and Kucherov rushing down to Anaheim’s zone, Kucherov cross-ice fed Point near the crease; Point connected the feed and netted a short-side, tie-breaking goal. However, the goal was initially disallowed as the referee ruled it did not cross the goal line after deflecting off a Ducks’ defender.
Likewise, seconds after the play, the buzzer blew for a mandatory situation room review, and it was later announced that the puck did completely cross the goal line as Point would be credited with the even-strength goal.
Heading into the final twenty-minute period, the Bolts led the Ducks 3-2.
The Bolts started off the third frame with some very good shorthanded looks in their o-zone as they drew a penalty to start the period. Anaheim got ran over on their power play opportunity, as the Lightning were not budging with a tie goal.
That same dynamic continued during the first half of the third. But then, with almost ten minutes remaining, the Ducks tied it up as Robby Fabbri tipped in a blueline rocket from Jacob Truoba.
Almost six minutes to render something, the Lightning drew another power play opportunity after Kucherov was hooked on the breakaway. But the Bolts wouldn’t be able to get an effective shot away and create effective lanes through the Ducks’ PK units.
Despite holding a truly dominant power-play structure, the Bolts haven’t been able to effectively utilize their top unit like their second. They would inevitably head to overtime after sixty minutes.
However, overtime wasn’t enough to decide a winner, so that was decided in a shootout. Guentzel started the shootout and scored.
Carlsson went next but missed. Point went next for the Bolts but also missed, as Dostal made a great stick check.
McTavish had the second attempt for Anaheim, but no further goals were scored. Kucherov had the final shootout opportunity but did not score.
Terry had the last chance to keep the game going but also missed. Therefore, Guentzel’s goal won the game, 4-3.
The Lightning will return home this Saturday, Jan. 18, to face the Detroit Red Wings to test a conference matchup against a competitive team that’s seeking a playoff berth.
Three Stars
- Andrei Vasilevskiy (34 saves)
- Lukas Dostal (32 saves)
- Brandon Hagel (1 assist)
ITR 44: We Have A Champion…Again – Inside The Rink
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