Following last weekend’s games at Amalie Arena, contests in which Tampa Bay allowed lots of shots and scoring chances, the Lightning wanted to begin this California road trip playing tighter defensive hockey. That didn’t happen. Not exactly, anyway. The Lightning weren’t able to correct their defensive issues from last weekend. But thanks to Andrei Vasilevskiy's goaltending, the Lightning held San Jose to just two goals. Also, the Sharks only recorded 25 shots and 45 total shot attempts, both manageable numbers.
Given the fact that the Lightning kept the goal total to two and still lost the game in regulation, the biggest reason for the result was what they did — and didn’t do — in the offensive zone. Through the first 40 minutes, the Lightning registered just 14 shots on goal and 30 attempts. Two factors led to those low totals: the Lightning didn’t have extended offensive-zone time, and they passed their way out of shot opportunities. In the third period, the Lightning posted 11 shots and net and 20 attempts — better numbers. But Grade-A looks were scarce, as were rebound chances.
Sharks goalie Yaroslav Askarov was sharp in denying 24 shots in the game. The Sharks also deserve credit for playing with high urgency and defending hard in front of him. San Jose efficiently cleared pucks out of the defensive zone, limited turnovers, and protected the front of their net.
The Sharks converted on two of their open looks from the slot. In the first period, Tyler Toffoli successfully executed a toe-drag move, which allowed him to move toward the middle of the ice and finish his shot. In the second, Mario Ferraro’s pass attempt hit off the skate of Zemgus Girgensons and caromed back to Ferraro, who one-timed the puck into the top of the net.
Following Ferraro’s goal, the Sharks had four in-alone chances for the rest of the game. Vasilevskiy stopped them all, keeping the Lightning within striking distance. But they were unable to generate those same kinds of chances against Askarov and the Sharks.
It was a night in which the Lightning didn’t direct enough pucks to the net. As it turned out, one of the pucks they did direct to the net went in. Anthony Cirelli tipped in Erik Cernak’s point shot late in the second period. Unfortunately, they couldn’t find a second goal and suffered their second straight regulation loss.
Lightning Radio Three Stars of the Game:
- Yaroslav Askarov — Sharks. 24 saves.
- Andrei Vasilevskiy — Lightning. 23 saves.
- Mario Ferraro — Sharks. GWG.
