The Lightning are becoming a team full of veterans, but the team doesn’t have a shortage of young stars. 2 of those young stars came up big on Thursday night. Mikhail Sergachev scored his 1st and 2nd career goals on the same night. The rookie’s performance was plenty of insurance for Andrei Vasilevskiy. The goaltender ended up with his 1st shutout of the season, making 43 saves in the 2-0 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets.
The 1st period was up and down like a track meet. The teams combined for 23 shots on goal. The Lightning had the 1st power play opportunity near the halfway mark of the frame, but the Columbus PK was stout to keep the Bolts off of the board. The scoring would finally open up with just over 2 minutes left in the period. Mikhail Sergachev’s 1st goal would give Tampa Bay the lead with assists from Vlad Namestnikov and Nikita Kucherov.
The Lightning had to start the 2nd period on the penalty kill, but Vasilevskiy and the rest of the unit were certainly up to the task. That unit was back out there just past the halfway mark, but they thwarted the Columbus chance once again to remain in the lead. Shortly after the power play ended the Bolts would strike again. Sergachev would score his 2nd career goal in the same game as his 1st to double the Tampa Bay lead. Vasilevskiy stood on his head and made some fantastic saves in the closing moments of the stanza to hold the lead at 2 going to the 3rd.
The Blue Jackets turned up the heat in the final period needing 2 goals just to force overtime. The Lightning had to thwart off one more Columbus power play and almost 2 minutes of an empty net. Andrei Vasilevskiy was up to the challenge. The Lightning goaltender ended up with 43 saves and his first shutout of the year in the 2-0 victory.
The Bolts will return from their road-trip on Saturday night. Tampa Bay will face the defending Stanley Cup Champion, Pittsburgh Penguins for the 2nd time this season. The puck is scheduled to drop at 7 pm with pregame coverage beginning an hour prior up the dial on News Radio 970 WFLA.
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST PERIOD
1. TBL - Sergachev - (Namestnikov, Kucherov) - 17:48
2ND PERIOD
1. TBL - Sergachev - (Kucherov, Stamkos) - 15:37
3RD PERIOD
None
PENALTY SUMMARY
1ST PERIOD
1. CBJ - Savard - (Cross Checking) - 9:33
2. TBL - Kunitz - (Slashing) - 20:00
2ND PERIOD
1. TBL - Hedman - (Tripping) - 12:14
3RD PERIOD
1. CBJ - Foligno - (Tripping) - 1:31
2. TBL - Callahan - (Tripping) 8:09
SHOTS ON GOAL
Tampa Bay - 21
Columbus - 43