The Tampa Bay Lightning are off to their best start in franchise history. The Bolts are already at the 50 point mark, but know it will take 100 to get to the postseason. With the hot start though, the Bolts have only played 7 divisional games in the early stages of the season. They got their 8th on Thursday night when they welcomed a struggling Ottawa Senators team to Amalie Arena. Ottawa got off to a good start, but Tampa Bay was a resilient bunch. They came back to tie the game on 3 seperate locations. That resiliency helped Tampa Bay secure at least 1 point and force overtime. The Bolts doubled that point total to 2 thanks to Brayden Point and Steven Stamkos scoring in a shootout to beat Ottawa, 4-3.
The struggling Senators got off to a great start. They pressured the Lightning zone early. Andrei Vasilevskiy made an amazing save, but after Dan Girardi tried to clear the rebound the puck went off of Braydon Coburn’s leg and into the net. The Bolts had to thwart off some great Ottawa chances late in the period as well. The Senators had about 20 seconds of a 5-on-3 situation, but Vasilevskiy saved the only shot Ottawa was able to get off. The Lightning then killed off the rest of the penalty to keep it at a 1-goal deficit heading to the middle frame.
The Bolts came out a lot more spirited to start the 2nd period. They put constant pressure on Craig Anderson, but the Ottawa goalie was up to the task. There was finally a chink in the armor past the halfway mark of the period. Vasilevskiy was pulled because of a delayed penalty and the Bolts scored before the culprit was even sent to the box. Tyler Johnson got his 9th goal of the year when he deflected in a Nikita Kucherov shot and tied the game. Less than 3 minutes later the game was tied no more. Cody Ceci put away a fantastic assist from Derrick Brassard to put Ottawa back on top. The Bolts weren’t happy being behind either. Almost exactly a minute later Yanni Gourde made a slick play to get the puck past the line after Cory Conacher got it in behind Anderson. The Bolts had a power play chance in the closing minutes of the period, but Ottawa successfully killed it off to keep the game tied heading to the 3rd.
It would be Tampa Bay’s penalty kill woes that would hurt them early in the final period. Coburn got sent to the box for a slashing penalty around the 6 minute mark to put Ottawa on the power play. Brassard lit the lamp just 13 seconds into the power play to put his team back in front. The Bolts had come back to tie it 2 times in the game already and they would get the trifecta. Good things happen when you go to the net and that happened for Vlad Namestnikov. He was in perfect position to put in a rebound of a Victor Hedman shot and tie the game at 3. Neither team could net the game winner in regulation and we headed for some extra hockey.
Tampa Bay dominated the extra frame, but couldn't take advantage of a power play in the final minute and we headed for a shootout. The Bolts came through in the shootout thanks to goals from Brayden Point and Steven Stamkos for the 4-3 victory.
The Bolts have 1 game remaining before a mini break for the Christmas holiday. That game comes on Saturday night against the Minnesota Wild. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 pm with pregame coverage beginning at 6 on News Radio 970 WFLA.
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST PERIOD
1. OTT - Ryan - (Unassisted) - 6:31
2ND PERIOD
1. TBL - Johnson - (Kucherov, Hedman) - 11:59
2. OTT - Ceci - (Brassard, Claesson) - 14:39
3. TBL - Gourde - (Conacher, Killorn) - 15:40
3RD PERIOD
1. OTT - PPG - Brassard - (Karlsson, Stone) - 5:59
2. TBL - Namestnikov - (Hedman, Kucherov) - 11:05
PENALTY SUMMARY
1ST PERIOD
1. OTT - Smith - (Hooking) - 12:59
2. TBL - Stralman - (Holding) - 15:33
3. TBL - Dotchin - (Interference) - 17:13
2ND PERIOD
1. TBL - Gourde - (Unsportsmanlike Conduct) - 13:21
2. OTT - Dzingel - (Unsportsmanlike Conduct) - 13:21
3. OTT - Karlsson - (Tripping) - 17:09
3RD PERIOD
1. TBL -Coburn - (Slashing) - 5:46
2. TBL - Brown - (Fighting) - 13:25
3. OTT - Harpur - (Fighting) 13:25
OVERTIME
1. OTT - Bench Minor - (Too Many Men On Ice) - 3:52
SHOTS ON GOAL
Tampa Bay - 38
Ottawa - 21