Brandon Hagel called it “massive”.
Coach Jon Cooper said his group was “rewarded”.
Call it what you want, the Tampa Bay Lightning might have brought their best performance on the penalty kill in Thursday’s 4-1 victory over the league-leading Winnipeg Jets, killing all four of the full 2-minute advantages the Jets had.
The game marked the first time this season that Tampa Bay’s penalty kill has deleted at least four minor penalties without giving up a power-play goal since the season opener in Carolina (4-for-4) on Oct. 11.
”I think we were top five in the league last year. We know we have the group in here that can be a really good PK group. Sometimes the puck just goes in the net, and it's frustrating as a penalty killer, but you've got to stick with it,” Lightning forward Brandon Hagel said after Thursday’s game.
“It’s early into the season, get it rolling now, but like I said, it's one game. We’ve got to show that a lot more.”
The Lightning rank 21st in the league on the penalty kill with a 77.6% kill rate ahead of Saturday’s game at AMALIE Arena against the New Jersey Devils, a team with the fourth-best power play in the NHL.
New Jersey is scoring on 30.5% of their power-play opportunities this season, and their 18 power-play goals are tied with Colorado for the second most in the league.
Tampa Bay’s roster has talked repeatedly over the last few weeks about focusing on the penalty kill. The team repeatedly practiced its special teams during their recent six-day break from games leading into Thursday.
Cooper spoke on that focus after Thursday’s win.
"Much like power plays, penalty kills can be a bit streaky as well, but I like the way it’s gone. The other thing is too, you do have to practice it a bit,” Cooper said. “We went through a big stretch there where we weren't, and fortunately for us we had this little break. And we concentrated in some areas, that (PK) was one of them, and they were rewarded tonight.”
Luke Glendening is often on the ice when Tampa Bay is shorthanded, and he said after Friday’s practice that the team’s recent showing is one the group can build on.
"We haven't probably been as good as we would like,” Glendening said, “so (we'll) take a night like last night, for sure.”
Killing penalties requires confidence, Glendening said. The team hasn’t changed much to its setup from last season, according to the veteran center.
Tampa Bay finished 2023-24 with the NHL’s fifth-best penalty kill at 83.3%.
"I know the guys in that group take a lot of pride in it,” Glendening said. “And a game like last night hopefully can kickstart us to being better every night.”
Ahead of another matchup with one of the NHL’s best power plays, the Lightning believe they are trending in the right direction.
"We need to keep building on it, especially on the PK,” assistant captain and defenseman Ryan McDonagh said postgame Thursday. “Had a slow start there, and we're obviously working through things. And it was a good step tonight, for sure, against a pretty lethal power play.
And so (we) continue to gain confidence there.”
