There might not be a more dynamic duo in the NHL than Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos. The forwards have their line playing better than any in the entire league. Both came through huge on Thursday. Kucherov’s goal in the 1st period got tied the game at 1 and Stamkos scored on the power play in the 3rd to finally put Tampa Bay in front. In the end, Tampa Bay defeated the Detroit Red Wings 3-2 to for their 6th straight home victory to start the season. That is now the best start of the season at home in Lightning history.
Both teams had chances on the power play in the 1st half of the period. Tampa Bay’s chance came very early on, but Detroit did a great job of eliminating any truly great chances. Detroit’s chance came around the 9th minute and Andrei Vasilevskiy had to do a lot more work than Jimmy Howard. The Bolts’ goaltender made a gymnast-like save on Henrik Zetterberg to keep the game scoreless. Tampa Bay got a 2nd chance on the power play later in the period, but it wouldn’t be the Bolts who scored. Frans Nielsen’s short-handed goal gave the Red Wings a 1-0 lead in the latter stages of the frame. Tampa Bay’s special teams redeemed themselves moments later. Detroit picked up a penalty for having too many men on ice and Tampa Bay took advantage off of a faceoff. Nikita Kucherov’s streak continued as he scored his 12th goal of the season.
Things got quite chippy in the 2nd period. The boards were rattling from plenty of hits. It really started to get out of control just past the halfway mark when Mikhail Sergachev and Anthony Mantha both got sent off after a scuffle. The Lightning got a power play chance shortly after that scuffle, but Howard and the Detroit PK was up to the task and we headed to the 3rd still knotted at 1.
Tampa Bay got the 1st chance at the power play in the 3rd and the Bolts’ best players came through. Stamkos’ 4th goal of the season gave the Bolts the lead with assists from Kucherov and Sergachev. Holding the lead would be no easy task for Tampa Bay. Just past the halfway mark of the period, Chris Kunitz picked up a slashing penalty, but Tampa Bay’s penalty kill was stout yet again. Tampa Bay got some much-needed breathing room in the final minutes when Brayden Point made it a 2-goal game with less than 3 minutes to play. The game got a little too close for comfort in those final few minutes. Nielsen added a power play goal to make it a 1-goal game and Kucherov committed a penalty that gave Detroit a shot to force overtime, but the Bolts held on for the final 1:23 for the 3-2 victory.
The Bolts will have Friday night off before getting back on the ice on Saturday. The Bolts will welcome in a west coast team for the first time this season when the Anaheim Ducks come to town. The puck is scheduled to drop shortly after 7 pm. Pregame coverage will begin at 6 on News Radio 970 WFLA.
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST PERIOD
1. DET - SHG - Nielsen - (Unassisted) - 14:18
2. TBL - PPG - Kucherov - (Hedman, Killorn) - 16:33
2ND PERIOD
NONE
3RD PERIOD
1. TBL - PPG - Stamkos - (Kucherov, Sergachev) - 6:22
2. TBL - Point - (Gourde, Palat) - 17:04
3. Detroit - PPG - Nielsen - (Nyquist) - 18:11
PENALTY SUMMARY
1ST PERIOD
1.DET - Green - (Slashing) - 2:19
2. TBL - Hedman - (Slashing) - 8:57
3. DET - Abdelkader - (Slashing) - 13:59
4. DET - Bench Minor - (Too Many Men On Ice) - 16:24
2ND PERIOD
1. TBL - Brown - (Delay of Game) - 2:53
2. TBL - Kronwall - (Interference) - 6:56
3. DET - Mantha - (Roughing) - 12:20
4. TBL - Sergachev - (Cross Checking) - 12:20
5. DET - Nyquist - (Interference) - 13:25
3RD PERIOD
1. DET - Nielsen - (Slashing) - 4:52
2. TBL - Kunitz - (Slashing) - 10:24
3. TBL - Sergachev - (Hooking) - 17:36
4. TBL - Kucherov - (Hooking) -18:37
SHOTS ON GOAL
Tampa Bay - 38
Detroit - 31