The Backcheck: Lightning comeback thwarted by Penguins in dramatic finish

The Penguins’ 4-3 win over the Bolts delivered plenty of theater for fans of both sides at Benchmark International Arena Thursday night.

Evgeni Malkin powered the Pens with an assist and two goals, including the game-winner with under three minutes left to play. Brandon Hagel made up for a costly turnover with two goals and an exceptional third period to lead a furious Bolts comeback. The Lightning’s onslaught of 40 shots on goal were stifled by a lights-out performance from Tristan Jarry. And the NHL’s Situation Room delivered quite the situation—reversing a game-tying Nikita Kucherov one-timer with under a minute left in regulation.

The Lightning gained steam early with a number of good looks in the first period, including a breakaway chance by Hagel off two picturesque passes about a minute into play. But Jarry was there for all of them.

"Jarry saved us," Malkin said after the game. "I know I scored two goals, but Jarry was the best player tonight."

Pittsburg went on to kill two Lightning power play chances before getting a power play goal of their own to go up 1-0 in the first.

The Bolts opened the second period with another power play killed by Pittsburgh, tilting the offensive momentum in favor of the road team. That’s when Malkin did most of his damage, leading the way with a goal and an assist to carry the Penguins up 3-0.

"We got away from our game in the second period,” defenseman Darryn Raddysh said. “And they took advantage."

Fortunately for the Bolts, Raddysh found Nikita Kucherov with a pinpoint cross-ice pass for a chip-in at the tail end of the period, leaving a window open for Tampa Bay.

The Lightning then staged an impressive rally in the third period powered by two Brandon Hagel goals to tie things up with under nine minutes left to play.

But Malkin struck again, capitalizing on some quick, nifty passing to put home the go-ahead goal.

Then, with 55 seconds left and the Lightning on full tilt, Kucherov sniped a one-timer past Jarry that sent Bolts Nation into a frenzy. The fans had a tie game in Tampa, free hockey on deck, the party was rolling.

Then Dad called.

A video review initiated by the NHL Situation Room determined that Hagel made an illegal hand pass to start the Lightning’s scoring sequence. The call was a highly debated topic by the media far and wide following the game.

Lightning coach Jon Cooper wasn’t exactly thrilled. And when asked about the call after the game, he delivered his perspective on the ruling, which we’ll just go ahead and leave the bulk of here:

“You could really debate whether an advantage was gained. Did Brandon Hagel direct that puck knowing exactly where it was going? No. Would you sit here today and say Brandon Hagel was maybe protecting his face from the puck hitting it, or protecting some part of his body? If I threw this microphone at you right now, would you put your hand up to stop it? Hell yeah you would. So there’s a spirit of the rule…And I think that’s where we get that wrong.”

“That was a bang-bang play. There were tons of guys around it, we got it first, a lot of the game developed after that, and the puck went in the net. So, is that a frustrating one for me? It is.”

Hagel echoed some of Cooper’s sentiments.

“I don’t know, those are close,” Hagel said postgame. “I tried to protect myself when it comes around the board, and I guess maybe, it nicked my glove.”

Cooper also expressed his frustration with the concept of a faraway replay system in general, and how it can, at times, conflict with the actual players and action on the ice.

“Now there’s eyes on everything and camera angles on judgment calls,” Cooper said. “In the judgment of everybody playing the game, that was not a hand pass. In the judgement of somebody judging in another city, somebody that’s not even in Florida, making that call, that can be frustrating.”

In the end, Cooper expressed accountability that the Lightning shouldn’t have played their way into that position in the first place. And now the Bolts will look to turn things around in a home matchup with the Islanders Saturday night.