Boy, did the Lightning need this win after suffering three consecutive losses in regulation. And boy, did they earn it.
They dominated possession against Chicago. Just as importantly, they greatly reduced the critical errors that cost them in last week’s home loss to the ‘Hawks. There was one costly miscue — and it led to Chicago’s tying goal early in the third. But the Lightning immediately pushed back and controlled the rest of the frame. They took the lead back with just over eight minutes remaining and added an empty-netter to seal the victory.
The Lightning fell behind, 1-0, in the first period after allowing a power play goal to Lukas Reichel. That was the fourth shot Chicago posted on that power play. But it was a strong five-on-five period for the Lightning. They effectively took away Chicago’s time and space, avoided turnovers, spent the majority of the period in possession of the puck, and yielded only two even-strength shots. But Petr Mrazek was sharp in stopping all 12 of Tampa Bay’s first-period shots, helping his team take a lead into the first intermission.
The ‘Hawks most dangerous period in the game was the second, but even in that frame, they posted just seven shots on net. Four of those came in the first two and a half minutes of the period — three in succession from close range. But Jonas Johansson stopped those shots, keeping the deficit at one. Soon after, the Lightning tied things up with a power play goal. Victor Hedman directed a puck towards Brayden Point near the front of the net, and Point deflected it over Mrazek’s glove at 4:40. The ‘Hawks had an unsuccessful offside challenge, so the Lightning went back on the man advantage. During that second power play, Johansson made a key save on MacKenzie Entwhistle’s shorthanded chance.
The Lightning took the lead at 9:01. Mikhail Sergachev’s left-point shot flew past a screened Mrazek. The Blackhawks managed to register just one shot on goal for the rest of the period.
In fact, Chicago posted only three shots on goal after the Sergachev tally. They had two SOG in the entire third period. One went in, however. Following a Lightning turnover just inside the offensive zone, the Blackhawks countered on an odd-man rush. Corey Perry stuffed in a cross-ice pass, tying the game at 2:09.
Unlike in some earlier games this year, the Lightning didn’t allow the opposition to build momentum from an important goal. Instead, they applied constant pressure on the ‘Hawks. Mrazek made a handful of key saves to preserve the tie, but eventually, the Lightning broke through. At the end of a long shift in the offensive zone, Erik Cernak took a shot from the center point that went over the net. It caromed back in front, where Hedman backhanded it in at 11:53.
Once more up by a goal, the Lightning didn’t sit back. Instead, they put on a puck possession clinic. They spent most of the final eight minutes forcing the Blackhawks to play defense in the Chicago end. There was one final shot for the home side, a Philipp Kurachev wrister off the rush with 1:27 remaining. Johansson made the save and covered the puck. Prior to that, the ‘Hawks had been unable to pull Mrazek for an extra skater (because the Lightning had them pinned back in their own zone). With the sixth attacker finally on the ice, Chicago won the ensuing faceoff. But Nick Paul blocked a Seth Jones shot, and the Lightning managed to clear the zone. Soon after, Sergachev grabbed a puck in the Lightning end and lifted it down the ice. Brandon Hagel sticked it into the empty net.
After being shutout for two consecutive games (and seven straight periods), it was nice for the Lightning to put four pucks in the Chicago net. But it was even nicer to watch them defend hard throughout the night and get rewarded with a victory.
Lightning Radio Three Stars of the Game (as selected by Brian Engblom):
- Mikhail Sergachev — Lightning. Goal and assist.
- Victor Hedman — Lightning. Goal and assist.
- Brayden Point — Lightning. Goal and two assists.