Monday night at Amalie Arena felt like a playoff game rather than the 3rd game of the season. The Tampa Bay Lightning welcomed fellow Eastern Conference Contender, the Washington Capitals to Amalie Arena and fans were treated to a great early season match-up. The Capitals jumped out to a 2-goal lead after the 1st period, but the Lightning wouldn’t back down. Alex Killorn’s goal cut the lead to 1 early in the 2nd. TJ Oshie’s power play goal put Washington back on top by 2 minutes later, but Chris Kunitz 1st goal as a member of the Lightning late in the period brought it closer going to the final frame. That’s when one of the Lightning stars came through in a big way. Nikita Kucherov sent the puck into the top of the net to tie the game with just over 9 minutes to play. Neither team could score in the closing minutes of the 3rd and we headed to overtime. Kucherov would be the hero in overtime as well as he assisted Brayden Point on power winner that gave the Lightning the 4-3 victory.
The Bolts had a power play opportunity less than 5 minutes into the contest, but the 1st good scoring opportunity would go to the Capitals minutes later. Evgeny Kuznetsov broke free and had a clear shot, but Andrei Vasilevskiy shut the door to keep the game scoreless. Momentum swung again when Vasilevskiy made a highlight reel save after Washington had a 4-on-1 rush. The Capitals picked up a penalty on the ensuing counter attack to put the Bolts on the power play for the 2nd time in the period. The Bolts couldn’t cash in again as they started 0-2 on the power play. Nicklas Backstrom would then open up the scoring late in the period. His 1st goal of the season put Washington on top. Almost immediately after, Yanni Gourde got called for slashing to put Tampa Bay on the PK for the 1st time of the evening. The penalty would prove costly as T.J. Oshie’s goal doubled the lead heading to the 2nd period.
Jon Cooper constantly preaches that good things happen when you shoot the puck. That started to happen for the Bolts in the 2nd. Alex Killorn’s absolute firecracker of a shot got Tampa Bay on the board and cut the Washington lead in half. The new faceoff rule put the Bolts on the penalty kill moments later and Washington took advantage again. Oshie’s 2nd goal of the night made it a 2-goal game once again less than halfway through the period. In the 2nd half of the period things got chippy. 5 penalties were issued in one scrum, including Dan Girardi and Cedric Paquette for the Bolts. Girardi picked up a double penalty for roughing and cross checking that put the Lightning back on the penalty kill. The Bolts killed off that penalty and it seemed the situation galvanized the Bolts. New addition, Chris Kunitz, picked up his 1st goal in Bolts blue to cut the lead back to a single goal heading to the final period.
The Capitals started the 3rd period on the power play and put the pressure on Vasilevskiy and the Bolts. The Tampa Bay goaltender was up to the task and made save after save to keep the deficit at 1 early in the period. The Bolts picked up a power play of their own when a lazy Washington change led to a too many men on the ice penalty. Tampa Bay spent what seemed like the entire 2 minutes in the Capitals’ zone, but Philipp Grubauer proved to be tough to crack. He made multiple saves to prevent the Lightning from knotting up the game, including a superb pad save on Nikita Kucherov. Kucherov wouldn’t be denied the whole night though. His outstanding 3rd goal of the season would draw the Bolts even with 9 minutes to go. Neither team could break the tie in regulation so we headed for some extra hockey.
After playing 3 games in 4 days the Bolts will now have 2 days off to recharge. Thursday they return to the ice at Amalie Arena to face Sidney Crosby and the defending Stanley Cup Champion, Pittsburgh Penguins. Face-off is scheduled for 7:30 pm with pregame coverage starting an hour prior up the dial on News Radio 970 WFLA.
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST PERIOD
1. WSH - Backstrom - (Burakovsky, Oshie) - 16:42
2. WSH - Oshie - (Carlson, Backstrom) - 18:05
2ND PERIOD
1. TBL - Killorn - (Point, Coburn) - 5:28
2. WSH - PPG - Oshie - (Backstrom, Kuznetsov) - 7:49
3. TBL - Kunitz - (Stralman, Paquette) - 18:09
3RD PERIOD
1. TBL - Kucherov - (Killorn, Stralman) 10:46
OVERTIME
1. TBL - PPG - Point - (Kucherov, Stamkos) - 3:08
PENALTY SUMMARY
1ST PERIOD
1. WSH - Ness - (Cross Checking) - 4:32
2. WSH - Ness - (Hooking) - 13:31
3. TBL - Gourde - (Slashing) - 17:03
2ND PERIOD
1. TBL - Bench Minor - (Faceoff Violation) - 7:13
2. TBL - Paquette - (Roughing) - 12:01
3. TBL - Girardi - (Roughing) - 12:01
4. TBL - Girardi - (Cross Checking) - 12:01
5. WSH - Connolly - (Roughing) - 12:01
6. WSH - Orpik - (Roughing) - 12:01
7. WSH - Beagle - (Slashing) - 15:18
8. TBL - Stamkos - (Slashing) - 19:46
3RD PERIOD
1. WSH - Bench Minor - (Too Many Men On Ice) - 3:28
OVERTIME
1. WSH - Bench Minor - (Too Many Men On Ice) - 1:21
SHOTS ON GOAL
Tampa Bay - 40
Washington - 26