Recently, the Tampa Bay Lightning’s ability to respond to adversity has been questioned. The Bolts recently found themselves on a 3-game losing streak and lost 2 of their best players to injuries. The Lightning were dealt more adversity on Tuesday night. A ticky tack call and a goal that probably should’ve been overturned both didn’t go their way and they trailed heading to the 3rd period. Tampa Bay had the pressure on for most of the 3rd, but couldn’t tie the game up until the captain took over. Steven Stamkos continued to prove he is a clutch player by scoring with just over 2 minutes to go to send the game to overtime. Louis Domingue made some key saves in overtime and Yanni Gourde came through on the other side to complete a fantastic, come from behind, 4-3 victory over the Nashville Predators.
The opening period was the definition of back and forth hockey. Chris Kunitz scored to open the scoring for the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Bolts kind of went to sleep after that. Nashville had an outstanding power play and it was Ryan Ellis who would eventually get the puck past Louis Domingue to tie the game up. The Preds basically added 2 goals after that. It looked like Domingue made a fantastic save on Viktor Arvidsson, but it wouldn’t matter as Calle Jarnkrok scored shortly after. The 1st play was reviewed and Arvidsson’s goal would be the one that counted to give Nashville the lead. That stretch was extremely rough for the Bolts, but the Captain made a play to turn it all around. Steven Stamkos made a fantastic play to feed Vlad Namestnikov and tie the game right back up. The teams tightened up a bit in the closing stages of the frame and the scoreboard still read 2-2 heading to the middle frame.
For most of the 2nd period it was a goaltender’s duel. Louis Domingue was fantastic for the Lightning, getting a start to give Andrei Vasilevskiy some rest. Juuse Saros was just as fantastic for Nashville. The goaltender made fantastic saves on Brayden Point and Kunitz to keep the game tied. Those great saves payed off when his team got a break late in the frame. The refs called a ticky tack interference call on Dan Girardi and PK Subban made the play to put his team back in front. The Bolts would challenge that there was goalie interference on the play, but the call on the ice stood to the chagrin of a livid Jon Cooper.
The Predators really tightened up their defense for most of the period. The best Lightning chance came on a short-handed breakaway by Kunitz. Saros was able to make the save though. Saros made 1 save too little though. Stamkos scored with just over 2 minutes left to tie the game and send the game to overtime. In the extra period Domingue made some key saves early on and was rewarded. Namestnikov made a fantastic pass to Gourde for the goal and the victory.
The Bolts have one more game left on the road before the All Star Break. They will travel to the City of Brotherly Love to face the Flyers on Thursday night. The puck is scheduled to drop at 7:30. Pregame coverage begins on 970 WFLA at 7.
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST PERIOD
1. TBL - Kunitz - (Unassisted) - 6:24
2. NSH - PPG - Ellis - (Jossi, Sissons) - 7:28
3. NSH - Arvidsson - (Aberg, Ekholm) - 9:11
4. TBL - Namestnikov - (Stamkos, Kunitz) - 10:48
2ND PERIOD
1. NSH - PPG - Subban - (Ekholm, Johansen) - 19:10
3RD PERIOD
1.TBL - Stamkos - (Koekoek, Kunitz) - 17:48
OVERTIME
1. TBL - Gourde - (Namestnikov) - 1:45
PENALTY SUMMARY
1ST PERIOD
1. TBL - Paquette - (Hooking) - 6:35
2ND PERIOD
1. TBL - Girardi - (Interference) - 18:17
3RD PERIOD
1. NSH - Salomaki - (High Sticking) - 0:25
2. TBL - Johnson - (Hooking) - 5:20
3. NSH - Bonino - (Tripping) - 12:54
SHOTS ON GOAL
Tampa Bay - 31
Nashville - 33