![]() Something should trip them up, because it’s hard to make the game develop your way three years in a row. They should get tired, because they have played so many damned games. Something-maybe dead legs, maybe puck luck-is supposed to catch up with the Lightning at some point. Nobody has won three Cups in a row since the New York Islanders won four from 1980 to ’83. The Penguins hit a post in the same overtime that eliminated them. Or maybe the good fortune any team needs to win a Stanley Cup just ran out. “Maybe we were a little bit tired,” Evgeni Malkin said afterward. Washington beat them in overtime to clinch a six-game series, ending Pittsburgh’s three-peat bid. The Penguins had also played way more games than anyone else. After the Pittsburgh Penguins went back-to-back in 2016 and ’17, they pushed into the second round in 2018 against the Washington Capitals, whom they’d beaten in the previous two playoffs. There are not a lot of cases like Tampa Bay’s, but that’s supposed to catch up with a team. Not every player played every game those two years (star winger Nikita Kucherov missed the entire 2020-21 regular season before returning for the playoffs), but still, the Lightning have played a lot of hockey and put a lot of tread on their tires. Their roster is not exactly the same as it was in 2020 or 2021, but the core of the team is still in place. All rights reserved.In these three years, the Lightning have played a quarter-season’s worth of more hockey than anyone else. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and Safety Information / Your California Privacy Rights are applicable to you. ^ Back to Top ^ © 2023 ESPN Internet Ventures. Raanta hadn't allowed more than four goals in any previous game this season. ![]() Jonas Johansson went 8-4-5 as Tampa Bay's top goalie while Vasilevskiy worked toward a return. It was Noesen's fifth goal of the season and third in five games. Kucherov has 15 goals and an NHL-leading 35 points this season.Ĭarolina's fourth line, which had been the most active in the opening period, registered the goal on Jack Drury's pass from behind the net to Noesen with 1:48 to play in the period on the Hurricanes' eighth shot on goal. Stamkos has scored in four straight games and has nine goals this season. "You can't take those kind of penalties." "We played how we were supposed to in the first period, but we beat ourselves," coach Rod Brind'Amour said. Penalties punished the Hurricanes, who were 0-for-4 on the penalty killing. Hurricanes goalie Antti Raanta stopped six shots. Stefan Noesen and Michael Bunting scored for the Hurricanes, who had a two-game winning streak snapped and lost for just the second time in eight home games this season. We were making passes on the tape and using our speed." "We didn't generate a ton of chances," Point said. Those were Tampa Bay's first three shots of the period after putting the puck on goal only once in the first. The Lightning scored three power-play goals in the first six minutes of the second period. "I like the fact that we held them to 12 even-strength shots," he said. "When you have the guys you're used to having, it definitely helps."ĭespite the Lightning's huge goal total, defense had Cooper's attention. "He's one of the best players on our team if not the best," Lightning coach Jon Cooper said, calling the goalie's return a momentum swing to the season. It was just the second time in Tampa Bay's past 13 games that an opponent was held to fewer than three goals. "We didn't spend much time in our zone," he said, pointing out the games are much more challenging than practices. Vasilevskiy settled in by stopping seven of eight shots in the first period. "He was good, like he never missed a game," Kucherov said. The Lightning announced earlier in the day that he would be in the net for the team's opener of a three-game road stretch. ![]() Vasilevskiy, a past winner of the Vezina Trophy (league's top goalie) and Conn Smyth Trophy (playoff MVP), was in his first NHL game since April following offseason surgery. Nikita Kucherov had two goals and four assists, while Steven Stamkos, Brandon Hagel and Luke Glendening also scored for the Lightning, which won for the fourth time in five games and holds a five-game points streak. It couldn't be more perfect for a first game." "Lots of blocked shots, obviously the goal support is remarkable. "Guys played unbelievably in front of me," Vasilevskiy said. Tampa Bay had one of the most accomplished goalies in the NHL back in its net and lots of other achievements to go with it Friday night.Īndrei Vasilevskiy made 22 saves in his season debut and the Lightning had a hat trick and two assists from Brayden Point in an 8-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy has 22 saves, wins in season debut You have reached a degraded version of because you're using an unsupported version of Internet Explorer.įor a complete experience, please upgrade or use a supported browser
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |