The Lightning took control of this game in the second period. That was the frame in which they scored three power-play goals. It was also the period in which Emil Lilleberg delivered a thunderous open-ice check on Brett Leason. The hit was one of the game’s signature moments, and it helped the Lightning elevate their play.
The first period, while statistically close, was not an especially strong one for the Lightning. They struggled with turnovers, and they spent several shifts having to defend in their own end. Andrei Vasilevskiy made a handful of key saves, however, to keep Anaheim off the board. While the Lightning didn’t apply much sustained o-zone pressure (outside of the Anthony Cirelli, Brandon Hagel, Nick Paul line), they did create some isolated looks on Anaheim goalie Lukas Dostal. Dostal, like Vasilevskiy, made 11 saves on 11 first-period shots. The period ended in a scoreless tie.
The game turned in a positive way for the Lightning at 4:06 of the second period. That was when they received the game’s first power-play opportunity. Just over a minute into the man advantage, Victor Hedman blasted a one-timer from the center point past Dostal. Less than two minutes later, Lilleberg stepped up on Leason in the neutral zone and made the big hit. Following the check, the Lightning decisively grabbed the game’s momentum. They netted another power-play goal at 10:56 – Steven Stamkos finished a rebound of a Brayden Point shot from the slot. Although the Ducks scored a power-play goal of their own at 13:20, the Lightning answered almost immediately. Bo Groulx took a cross-checking penalty at 14:08. Thirty-nine seconds later, they had their two-goal lead back. Stamkos put a puck off Ilya Lyubushkin’s stick, and it caromed into the net.
Anaheim had back-to-back power-play chances early in the third but failed to score. Less than three minutes after killing the second of those penalties, the Lightning added to their lead. Calvin de Haan’s left-point shot hit Dostal and trickled over the goal line. Hagel finished the scoring with a goal from the slot at 18:05.
In the final 40 minutes, the Lightning outshot the Ducks, 30-9. They had to play 14 of those minutes without Victor Hedman, who was assessed two minor penalties and a 10-minute misconduct after a post-whistle altercation. But the Lightning managed things well in Hedman’s absence, particularly during those two third-period penalty kills.
The Lightning have won three straight, matching their longest winning streak of the season. They’ll get a four-day break before concluding their four-game homestand on Thursday against Minnesota.
Lightning Radio Three Stars of the Game (as selected by Jassen Cullimore):
1. Nikita Kucherov — Lightning. Three assists. Eclipsed 800 career points.
2. Steven Stamkos — Lightning. Two goals and assist.
3. Emil Lilleberg — Lightning.
