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Bolts Pulverize Canucks and Extend Win Streak to Eight |
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What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object? Something akin to what you saw when the Lightning obliterated the Vancouver Canucks 9-2 last night. The Canucks, like Tampa Bay, were rolling on a seven-game win streak. But they ran into a buzzsaw, as the Lightning tallied nine goals in the second and third periods. The game was entertaining as heck, as it was a sharp departure from the tight-checking, heavily structured staring contests the Lightning have been playing in earnest this season. And it might have left people feeling slightly nostalgic.
As badly as last season ended, it is easy to forget how much fun most of the regular season was, with the Lightning scoring in bunches and with pizzazz. Like a rebellious youth, Tampa Bay was reckless, mesmerizing, and unsustainable.
This season has had more of a slow burn quality to it. But that’s a good thing, as the Lightning are playing much more strategically. (You could almost say they are playing the regular season like it’s a warm-up for the postseason.) The Lightning needed to learn how to forecheck, and now all of their lines can create turnovers and win pucks along the boards.
As the Lightning learned last year, if you can’t win battles in traffic and be able to create offense in multiple ways, you will fail. Last night showcased many of the hallmarks of last season, from the missiles off the faceoff and on the power play by Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos respectively, to the goals in transition, and the overall tape-to-tape direct passing as the Lightning forwards and defensemen pinged the puck between their blades.
As well as the Tyler Johnson-Anthony Cirell-Ondrej Palat line played, and as cool as it is that Carter Verhaeghe posted a hat trick, the Lightning’s star forwards submitted the most interesting performance last night. I am also highlighting Victor Hedman and Mikhail Sergachev for their defensive work and its impact on the offense.
Nikita Kucherov-Brayden Point-Steven Stamkos
For this trio, the highs were dizzying and lows were vexing. Stamkos had two gaffes, both of which led to the two Canucks goals. And on the first Vancouver goal, Stamkos proffered two turnovers to the opponent in his own end. Nevertheless, the production speaks for itself: If you count the power play goal by Stamkos, this line generated four goals and allowed two. But they also surrendered 9 shots while only manufacturing 6. They finished with +1 in high-danger chances plus-minus and finished even in shot attempts.
One thing these three did really well was keep the Canucks hemmed in their own end. Vancouver ceded the blue line on a lot of entries, so it was enjoyable watching the three forwards weave in and out of lanes. But they were also snapping the puck around the zone. For example, on the Point goal that made it 7-2, the Lightning spent 34 seconds earlier in the shift in the offensive zone, and while it only led to one shot attempt by Stamkos, it forced the Canucks to make a sloppy line change because they were tired and eager to get off the ice. When the puck left the zone, Vancouver’s skaters shuffled off, and a nice defenseman-to-defenseman pass set up an Erik Cernak stretch pass to Stamkos, which initiated the re-entry into the zone against the backpedaling Canucks. Stamkos swooped into the zone with speed, then dropped the puck off to Point, who tried to pass it into the slot, but claimed the puck after it hit a Canucks’ skate and placed it upstairs.
Just a period earlier, the goal that made it 6-2 was revealing in its own way. It was the second goal of the shift—the first occurring when Kucherov whacked a rocket past Jacob Markstrom off the faceoff—but it came in a less fluid fashion. But that’s a positive, because the Lightning need to be successful when there is more friction. The Lightning won the faceoff at center ice, and Stamkos dumped the puck in. Point quickly raced down the ice and took away Markstrom’s outlet to Quinn Hughes on the strong side, so Markstrom tried to push it to his winger at the boards, but Cernak stepped up and forced the turnover. After a missed slap shot by Point, defenseman Braydon Coburn retrieved the puck.
It then moved from low to high and was transported through a double screen in front of Markstrom. The Lightning were fast on the forecheck, retrieved the puck, spread the Canucks out, and then took away the goaltender’s eyes on the shot.
Mikhail Sergachev and Victor Hedman create offense with defense
If the Lightning are going to win the Stanley Cup, they need to have sufficient back pressure from their forwards so that their defensemen feel comfortable stepping up. When Tampa Bay’s rearguards are emboldened, good things happen. On the Johnson goal, Hedman created a turnover as the Canucks tried to exit their zone, and Palat and Johnson made quick work of the disjointed Canucks defense trying to recover.
On his breakaway, Alex Killorn was unquestionably assisted by Tyler Myers whiffing on the puck at the blue line. But that doesn’t do justice to Sergachev’s work in his own end, which was terrific. The Canucks won the faceoff in their own end and quickly flung the puck into the Lightning’s end, but the area pass wasn’t icing because Bo Horvat arrived at the puck quicker than Sergachev. But Sergachev tightened that gap quickly, closing in on Horvat and riding him into the boards behind the net.
Sergachev followed Horvat to the corner, and while Horvat was able to power himself to the off-slot and take a turnaround shot, the puck hit the side of the net. Sergachev had foiled Horvat, but there was another battle to be waged. Sergachev fought off Loui Eriksson, and as the two glided toward the space below the goal line, the puck was chopped at, skipping up the boards and eluding Myer’s clutches. Seconds later, Killorn would control it in open ice and register his 17th goal of the season. But Sergachev’s unflagging effort to stymie the Canuck’s offensive opportunity and give his teammate the chance to leave the zone sparked the goal sequence.
The Lightning have won eight straight. They now have passed the Maple Leafs in points even while having two games in hand. The Metropolitan Division is ridiculous, which is why it is good to look at the entire league for context. Only five teams in the NHL are ahead of Tampa Bay in points. The Bruins are seven points up on the Lightning, but they also have played two more games. The regular season is halfway done, and after a slow start where it seemed plausible Jon Cooper could get axed, the Lightning have found their mojo and have an opportunity to win the Atlantic Division.
Tampa Bay Lightning Blogger • 
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