The Lightning began their three-game road trip with a victory and extended their season-long winning streak to five games in the process. They did it (primarily) with team defense and goaltending.
It was a low-scoring contest, one in which prime scoring chances were limited. But each team did generate some good looks, and the Lightning helped themselves by converting on two early ones. Anthony Cirelli stole the puck from Casey Middlestadt in the Buffalo end and hurried the puck to Brandon Hagel in the slot. Hagel worked it to Nick Paul at the right circle, and Paul one-timed his shot into the top of the net at 6:14. It was Tampa Bay’s first shot on goal in the game. On the very next shift, the Lightning were called for a penalty, and Buffalo went on the power play. But after Alex Tuch mishandled the puck at the offensive blue line, Tyler Motte countered on a shorthanded rush — Motte finished a wrist shot from the left circle at 7:06. It was the Ligthning’s second shorthanded goal of the season (and second in the past four games).
The Sabres owned a majority of the possession time in the first period, but the Lightning defended hard and limited shots, attempts, and chances. Over the opening 20 minutes, Buffalo posted just seven shots on goal and 14 attempts. The Lightning’s totals were even lower (five SOG and 10 attempts), but they had a two-goal lead.
The possession script flipped somewhat in the second period. While the Sabres did enjoy a few lengthy offensive-zone shifts, the Lightning spent far more time in the offensive zone than they had in the first. Ukka-Pekka Luukkonen turned aside nine Lightning shots in the frame and kept his team within striking distance. The Sabres cut into the deficit when one of those aforementioned o-zone shifts led to Dylan Cozens’ goal at 13:52.
Down 2-1 after 40 minutes, the Sabres made a push to start the third. They dominated possession and generated several dangerous looks. Jonas Johansson stopped Alex Tuch’s breakaway in the opening minute. Soon after, Owen Power fired a shot from the high slot that Johansson found (and saved) through a heavy screen.
As the period progressed, the Lightning did a better job of leveling the ice. They were more efficient nt at clearing pucks, so the Sabres were forced to continually regroup in their own end. The Lightning managed to spend a few shifts controlling the puck in the Buffalo zone — even though those shifts didn’t yield a goal (or even a shot on net), they prevented the Sabres from going on the attack and building momentum.
A Buffalo power play came with 8:04 left, but the Sabres took a penalty while on the man advantage. The Sabres pulled Luukkonen with 1:38 left, but Buffalo had very little offensive-zone time with the sixth attacker before the Lightning took the puck away. After Hagel missed the empty net with a shot beyond the red line, Paul hustled down the ice to negate a potential icing infraction. Paul then also narrowly missed the net from a tight angle. The puck caromed to the boards, where Hagel reached it first and nudged it to Calvin de Hann in the neutral zone. From the red line, de Haan wired the puck into the empty net with 1:16 left.
Johansson provided the Lightning with timely stops when the Sabres pressed the attack. He finished with 27 saves, including 15 in the third period. His teammates helped him as well by limiting opposition chances.
The Lightning conclude the back-to-back set Sunday with a key matchup in Detroit.
Lightning Radio Three Stars of the Game:
- Jonas Johansson — Lightning. 27 saves.
- Nick Paul — Lightning. Goal and assist.
- Brandon Hagel — Lightning. Two assists.
