It can be difficult to feel good about an overtime loss, and this one ended in frustrating fashion for the Lightning. They had successfully gotten through more than 3/4 of an overtime penalty kill. Moments after Andrei Vasilevskiy made a remarkable save on Stefan Noesen’s point-blank redirection, Luke Glendening broke up a Jack Hughes cross-ice pass. Standing in the slot, Glendening had the puck hit him and deflect closer to the net. He reached with his stick blade to corral it. Had he controlled the puck, he likely would have had time to clear the zone. Instead, the puck bounced just out of his reach. In the low slot, Noesen collected it and fired a shot into the top of the net.
But the Lightning will gladly take the point they gained from getting the game to overtime. They rallied from a third-period deficit, something they weren’t able to do in their three recent regulation losses in California. They didn’t munch two points, but at least they munched one.
The Ligthning’s defensive play improved as the game progressed. They had a sloppy, mistake-filled first period, one in which they allowed 14 shots on goal and numerous Grade-A chances. Their first-period defensive problems were two-fold. They struggled to clear the defensive zone, which led to several extended offensive-zone shifts for New Jersey. Ondrej Palat’s deflection goal at 8:10 came after the Lightning failed to execute a clear. They also had problems defending the Devils’ dangerous rush. New Jersey generated multiple odd-man rush chances, including two three-on-ones and a breakaway. Vasilevskiy denied 13 of those 14 first-period shots, however, helping the Lightning get out of the period tied at one.
In the second period, the Lightning did a better job of clearing the d-zone and limiting rush chances. But a neutral-zone turnover led to a Jack Hughes counter and goal at 15:16. The Lightning backed in and gave Hughes room to enter the zone. He skated to the high slot and shot. The puck deflected off of Brayden Point’s stick and went into the top of the net.
The Lightning’s best period was the third. They began the frame with back-to-back power plays. Although they didn’t convert (Jacob Markstrom came up with a brilliant save on what looked like a sure goal for Point), they gained momentum from the chances. They dictated play for the rest of the period and tied the game just past the eight-minute mark. Jon Cooper had shuffled his lines during the second period — Nikita Kucherov was skating with Anthony Cirelli and Brandon Hagel. They were on the ice together for the tying goal, which began with Ryan McDonagh making a strong defensive play at the Lightning blue line. Similar to the play he made on Cirelli’s shorthanded goal in Thursday’s win over Boston, McDonagh broke up an attempted entry and swept the puck up ice. Hagel and Kucherov were in the clear, and Hagel passed the puck forward to Kucherov, who converted on a breakaway.
The Lightning continued to carry play through the remainder of regulation. They held the Devils to just one shot on net and only seven shot attempts in the third period.
In overtime, Nick Paul tripped Jack Hughes, leading to the New Jersey power play that decided the game. The Devils were effective at getting pucks to the net. They fired five shots on goal during the man advantage. They cashed in on the fifth one.
The Lightning complete a tough back-to-back on Sunday in Pittsburgh. The game begins at 5:00 pm, just 22 hours after this one started. Even with the tough circumstances, they’ll look to keep munching points.
Lightning Radio Three Stars of the Game:
- Jacob Markstrom — Devils. 22 saves.
- Andrei Vasilevskiy — Lightning. 23 saves.
- Jack Hughes — Devils. Goal and assist.
