Mishkin's Extra Shift: Lightning 5, Sabres 3

This was a game in which both teams enjoyed strong segments and carried play. Although the shot totals weren't especially high - the Lightning outshot the Sabres, 30-24 - goaltenders Brian Elliott and Eric Comrie each had to deal with a number of scoring chances. In the end, however, the Lightning did hold an advantage. They owned more possession and out-chanced the Sabres. And they rallied from a 3-2 third period deficit to win the game in regulation.

For much of the first period, the Lightning dominated possession and successfully created Grade-A looks. But they passed their way out of several opportunities, squandering odd-man rush looks. In fact, Nick Paul's goal at 7:07 came moments after a missed pass on a two-on-one. But Victor Hedman tracked the puck to the boards and set up Paul for a one-timer that beat Comrie through the pads.
The Lightning ceded control of the period when they went on the penalty kill at 13:46. Although the Sabres didn't score on the man advantage, they built momentum from it. They applied consistent pressure and kept the Lightning hemmed back in the defensive zone. Less than a minute after the penalty ended, the Sabres tied the game. A bouncing puck skipped over a Lightning stick in front of Elliott and Zemgus Girgensons finished a point-blank shot at 16:24.
Although the Lightning did a better job of getting pucks to the net in the second period, the frame was more evenly-played, at least in terms of possession time. But the Lightning continued to produce dangerous chances. And in this period, they did a better job of getting pucks to the net on those opportunities. Comrie erased all but one of those chances in the period, however, including two in a row on Nikita Kucherov.
In the middle stanza, each team scored a power play goal. Off a three-on-two rush, Steven Stamkos set up Brayden Point for a tap-in goal at 5:05. Once again, the Sabres tied it - Casey Mittelstadt tipped an Owen Power shot past Elliott at 8:34.
The third period was a back-and-forth frame. The Lightning held momentum early, enjoying a couple of extended offensive zone shifts. Paul rang a shot off the crossbar. But at 4:45, Jeff Skinner finished an in-alone chance, giving the Sabres their first lead of the night. Buffalo had wind at its back and nearly extended the lead. But Elliott stopped a J.J. Peterka breakaway with the shaft of his stick, keeping the deficit at one. Moments later, Kucherov intercepted a pass at the Buffalo blue line and set up Brandon Hagel for a one-timer from the slot. Hagel missed the puck on his initial attempt, but followed up and chipped it past Comrie at 7:40.
Following Hagel's tying goal, the Lightning regained momentum and applied heavy pressure. But following a Kucherov shot that was blocked, Kale Clague head-manned the puck to Skinner, who had flown the zone. Elliott stopped Skinner's breakaway. Play came down to the other end, where Kucherov dropped a pass to Nick Perbix in the high slot. Perbix shot the puck past Comrie. The rookie's first NHL goal came at 15:05 and proved to be the game-winner. Kucherov added an empty-netter at 19:02, which extended his goal streak to six consecutive games. It was his fourth point of the night.
There were many strong performances in this game on the Lightning's side, starting with the Point, Kucherov, and Hagel line. The three players combined for three goals and six assists and were dangerous throughout the night. With so much five-on-five play (following Mittelstadt's power play goal, the rest of the game was penalty-free), the Lightning distributed minutes up and down the lineup. No player played less than 10 minutes. All four lines contributed to the Lightning's overall possession advantage.
Then there was Elliott, who finished with only the 21 saves. But several of those were stops on high-quality chances. And they were all timely, none more so than his third period breakaway saves on Peterka and Skinner.
The Lightning wrap up their four-game homestand on Tuesday against Edmonton. Through the first three games, they've picked up five out of a possible six points.
Lightning Radio Three Stars of the Game (as selected by Phil Esposito):
1. Nikita Kucherov - Lightning. Goal and three assists. Plus four. Seven shots.
2. Brandon Hagel - Lightning. Goal and two assists.
3. Brian Elliott - Lightning. 21 saves.