Both these teams entered this game with injury-depleted lineups. The Lightning were missing three defensemen — Declan Carlile made his NHL debut. The Wild were without several regulars, including Kirill Kaprizov (their most dangerous offensive player).
Facing a team missing some of its firepower, the Lightning did well to avoid costly turnovers — plays that might have created excellent scoring chances for the Wild. Instead, the Lightning forced Minnesota to work for (and earn) the chances it got. And there weren’t many chances for the Wild in this game. The Lightning held Minnesota to just 23 shots on net, 47 total shot attempts, and only a few scoring chances. Hardly any of those were Grade-A looks.
The Lightning also helped their defensive cause by staying out of the penalty box. They were shorthanded only once in the entire game.
At the other end of the ice, the Lightning didn’t generate a large number of chances either. But they created more than Minnesota. And, for the first time this season, they received two goals in a game from one defenseman. In the second period, Darren Raddysh scored twice (the second and third goals of his NHL career) to break a scoreless tie. Both came from around the net, as Raddysh stepped in from the point. On his first goal, he backhanded a rebound of a Luke Glendening shot from the slot past Marc-Andre Fleury. Minutes later, Raddysh accepted a pass from Conor Sheary at the top of the right circle, sped behind the net, and converted on a wrap-around.
This contest was also the first this season for the Lightning in which defensemen accounted for three goals. Victor Hedman cranked in a power-play goal at 2:00 of the third, extending the lead to 3-0.
The Wild attempted to build momentum as the third period progressed. They applied more consistent pressure than they had in either of the first two frames. But the Lightning managed the final frame well. They cleared pucks when they had a chance. They protected the middle of the ice. And they continued to spend a fair amount of time in possession of the puck in the Minnesota end.
Although they allowed a late goal to their former teammate, Zach Bogosian, they didn’t let the Wild get any closer. Brandon Hagel finished the scoring with an empty-netter at 19:19.
The Lightning are now 1-1-0 through the first two games of the road trip. They’ll look to finish it with a win when they face Boston on Saturday.
Lightning Radio Three Stars of the Game:
1. Darren Raddysh — Lightning. Two goals
2. Victor Hedman — Lightning. PPG.
3. Andrei Vasilevskiy — Lightning. 22 saves.
