What a difference a month makes. A little more than a month ago the Winnipeg Jets came into Amalie Arena and put 6 goals up on the scoreboard to deal the Tampa Bay Lightning 1 of their worst losses of the year. Saturday night the Bolts got a little bit of revenge in Winnipeg. Ben Bishop was stellar again coming off of a shutout Tuesday night and Brayden Point scored his 4th goal in his 6 games since returning from injury on the way to a 4-1 victory.
The Bolts had to kill of a very early penalty in this 1 when Nikita Kucherov was called for hooking less than 2 minutes into the contest. The Lightning PK was up to the task and prevented the Jets from taking an early lead. Brayden Point then opened up the scoring by jamming 1 home right in front of the net for his 4th goal in the past 6 games. Tampa Bay was able to double their lead later in the period when Brian Boyle deflected in a firecracker of a shot from Victor Hedman. The Lightning even had more chances to extend the lead in the closing seconds of the period, but the lead stood at 2 at the end of the frame.
The Lightning were able to extend their lead very early in the 2nd period. Ondrej Palat fired one over the right shoulder of the Winnipeg goaltender and into the back of the net. Palat’s 11th of the season brought the Bolts’ lead to 3-0. The teams traded power play opportunities in the 1st half of the period, but neither was able to take advantage and change the score at all. Winnipeg had a good chance to cut into the lead in the closing minute of the period during a mad scrum in front of the Tampa Bay net, but the Bolts were able to get the puck cleared to avoid any damage.
The final period started with some 4-on-4 hockey after Gabriel Dumont and Dustin Byfuglien both got called for roughing penalties when they got into after the horn ended the 2nd period. Neither team scored during the 1st 2 minutes and then the Jets got another power play chance when Vlad Namestnikov was called for holding. The Lightning PK improved to 3 for 3 for the night by preventing a Winnipeg goal during that power play. The Jets finally got on the board with less than 9 minutes remaining when Jacob Trouba’s 5th goal of the season ended Ben Bishop’s bid for a 2nd straight shutout. That’s as close as the Jets could make it and the Bolts will enter their bye week coming off of a victory. Victor Hedman added an empty netter in the final minute to make it a 4-1 win for Tampa Bay.
The Lightning now enter their bye week and won’t return to the ice until next Saturday. That return will come in Dallas against the Stars. The puck is scheduled to drop at 8 pm with pregame coverage beginning 30 minutes prior on News Radio 970 WFLA.
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST PERIOD
1. Tampa Bay - Point - (Drouin) - 12:05
2. Tampa Bay - Boyle - (Hedman, Dotchin) - 17:02
2ND PERIOD
1. Tampa Bay - Palat - (Point, Sustr) - 2:11
3RD PERIOD
1. Winnipeg - Trouba - (Byfuglien, Wheeler) - 11:15
2. Tampa Bay - Hedman - (Palat, Paquette) - 19:24
PENALTY SUMMARY
1ST PERIOD
1. Tampa Bay - Kucherov - (Hooking) - 1:24
2ND PERIOD
1. Tampa Bay - Dotchin - (Tripping) - 3:53
2. Winnipeg - Byfuglien - (High Sticking) - 9:43
3. Tampa Bay - Dumont - (Roughing) - 20:00
4. Winnipeg - Byfuglien - (Roughing) - 20:00
3RD PERIOD
1. Tampa Bay - Namestnikov - (Holding) - 3:01
2. Winnipeg - Morrissey - (Hooking) - 12:13
SHOTS ON GOAL
Tampa Bay - 30
Winnipeg - 33