Once again, the Lightning had a slow start and a strong finish. An excellent third period helped them twice break a tie and complete a back-to-back home weekend sweep.
As Jon Cooper said after the game, a video compilation of the Lightning’s past five first periods would be “an elite video of how not to play hockey.” This particular first period was an ugly display of disjointed play that affected both clubs.
The Lightning and Predators looked like tired teams in the first period. Like so many clubs around the NHL, they’ve endured a condensed schedule since the Olympic Break ended. They were both playing the second half of a back-to-back, and the Preds flew in from Nashville after their Saturday home game against Montreal.
The teams struggled to complete passes and execute plays. Although the Predators did outshoot the Lightning, 10-1, and owned a 20-10 attempt advantage, they didn’t generate many dangerous chances. The best came off the stick of Steven Stamkos, who got open in the slot for a one-timer, but Jonas Johansson stopped the shot with a left shoulder save. The Lightning’s best look didn’t count as a shot on net, but Brandon Hagel’s left-circle shot hit off the inside of both posts.
The Lightning’s play marginally improved in the second period. They strung together some passes and registered more shots on net. But the game still lacked flow. The first goal epitomized the game’s choppy nature. At 8:31, Joakim Kemell recorded his first NHL goal and point when he was taken down by Erik Cernak on a rush chance and crashed into Johansson. Kemell, Johansson, and the puck ended up in the net. Because the officials deemed that Cernak caused the contact, the goal was allowed to stand.
Just over five minutes later, the Lightning tied it. A Darren Raddysh right-point shot hit off Roman Josi in the low slot and caromed cross ice to Jake Guentzel at the bottom of the left circle. With Justus Annunen set for the original shot, he was out of position to stop Guentzel’s attempt. Guentzel finished into an open side of the net at 13:32.
Through 40 minutes, the Lightning had managed just 12 shots on net and 33 total attempts. In the third period, though, they elevated their emotional level, which helped them raise their compete level. They posted 16 SOG and 31 attempts. Shortly after a Lightning power play ended, Guentzel stole the puck from Ryan O’Reilly and fed Hagel at the right circle. Hagel moved the puck from his backhand to his forehand and zipped a shot past Annunen’s stick at 4:33.
The Preds tied the game on the next shift, benefitting from a double deflection. Fedor Svechkov took a left-point shot. Filip Forsberg tipped it before it caromed off Charle-Edouard D’Astous and went into the Lightning net at 4:53.
But the Lightning grabbed the lead right back. Emil Lilleberg stepped to the right circle and threw the puck into the middle. It went off Guentzel’s stick to Corey Perry at the back post, and Perry slammed it into the net at 6:52.
The Preds pushed over the final 13 minutes and created some Grade-A looks. But they never found the equalizing goal a second time. The Lightning had to play the final 8:45 without Cernak, who received a minor and a 10-minute misconduct. During that Nashville power play, Matthew Wood hit the post from the right circle, but similar to Hagel’s double post in the first, the puck stayed out.
The Lightning will be in a busy stretch through the end of the regular season on April 15. They play every other day until then (except for one remaining back-to-back). But despite the grueling stretch, they’ve picked up points in eight straight games (6-0-2) and now have 98 points on the season.
Lightning Radio Three Stars of the Game (as selected by Phil Esposito):
- Jake Guentzel — Lightning. Goal and two assists
- Jonas Johansson — Lightning. 29 saves.
- Ryan McDonagh — Lightning.
