Lightning Strike Again: Tampa Bay Extends Point Streak to 15 with Shootout Win Over Blackhawks
CHICAGO - The Tampa Bay Lightning just keep rolling. With a gritty 2-1 shootout win over the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center on Friday night, the Bolts extended their point streak to 15 games - their third-longest run in franchise history. Only the 16-game streak in 2018-19 and the 18-game heater from their 2003-04 Stanley Cup season top this current stretch.
And once again, it was Nikita Kucherov leading the charge.
Kucherov found the back of the net in regulation and again in the shootout, showcasing the kind of poise and precision that’s made him one of the league’s most dangerous offensive weapons. But the final blow came from a less expected source: rookie forward Dominic James, who sealed the win in the fifth round of the shootout with a slick five-hole finish.
“Coop tapped me and said, ‘Get out there,’” James said, referring to head coach Jon Cooper. “I started thinking of my move… I think my body just did that.”
It was James’ first career NHL shootout attempt - on the road, in front of a booing crowd, with a 14-game point streak on the line. No pressure, right?
“Oh, absolutely,” James said with a grin. “I don’t know if I was nervous or excited. Probably both.”
Vasilevskiy Stands Tall Again
Andrei Vasilevskiy didn’t have to be spectacular, but as usual, he was rock solid. The Lightning netminder turned away 17 shots and made a critical save on Ilya Mikheyev in the final minutes of overtime. He also stood tall against Andre Burakovsky’s rebound chance, keeping the game tied and setting the stage for the shootout.
That win marked Vasilevskiy’s 353rd career victory, tying him with Rogie Vachon and Evgeni Nabokov for 25th on the NHL’s all-time list. It’s another milestone for a goalie who’s quietly building a Hall-of-Fame résumé.
Lightning’s Patience Pays Off
This was one of those games where the scoreboard didn’t quite reflect the run of play. The Lightning outshot the Blackhawks 13-2 in the second period and held a 21-6 edge heading into the third. But despite the shot advantage, they had to grind this one out.
“Those can be frustrating games,” Cooper admitted. “You feel like you’re playing well and not getting rewarded.
But that tests your team’s mettle. You don’t want guys forcing plays just to make something happen.
I thought our play without the puck was excellent. We didn’t give them much.”
That defensive discipline - combined with patience and trust in their structure - has been a defining trait of this Tampa Bay run. As defenseman J.J.
Moser put it: “We don’t think we have to reinvent the wheel. We stay patient, do the things we need to do, and trust that we’ll get the bounces and goals we need.”
Blackhawks Battle, But Fall Short
To their credit, the Blackhawks didn’t back down. Playing the second night of a back-to-back after a shootout win in Carolina, they came out with energy and took a 1-0 lead late in the first period. Ryan Greene scored off a slick passing sequence from Oliver Moore and Nick Lardis, finishing a forehand shot from the slot that beat Vasilevskiy glove-side.
“Just me and the goalie,” Greene said. “Happy it went in.
But I think we owe a lot to Soderblom. He was unbelievable tonight.”
Indeed, Arvid Soderblom was the reason this game stayed close. The Chicago netminder made 30 saves and held off wave after wave of Lightning pressure, especially during a lopsided second period. Without his performance, this one likely doesn’t make it to overtime.
Blackhawks head coach Jeff Blashill, who previously worked under Cooper in Tampa, said games like these are valuable measuring sticks for his young team.
“There’s value in continuing to measure yourself against teams like this,” Blashill said. “Structurally, we’re similar in a lot of ways.
What we take from tonight is a lesson in how hard you have to be on your stick, how crisp your passes need to be. I thought they were a bit harder and more precise.
That’s the level we have to get to.”
Even so, Chicago managed to snag a point and had chances to win it in overtime. For a rebuilding team, that’s a step in the right direction.
Quick Hits:
- Lightning forward Jack Finley left the game after a first-period fight with Chicago captain Nick Foligno. He logged just 1:01 of ice time before exiting.
Cooper said the team was being cautious.
- Teuvo Teravainen missed his fifth straight game for Chicago due to an upper-body injury.
- Blackhawks forward Colton Dach was a healthy scratch for the first time this season.
What’s Next?
For Tampa Bay, this win is just another chapter in a season that’s starting to feel special again. They’ve now gone 14-0-1 since December 20, and with the way they’re playing - structured, composed, and confident - it’s hard to see the streak ending anytime soon.
As for the Blackhawks, they’ll take the lessons from this one and keep grinding. The pieces are there, and nights like this show they’re capable of hanging with the league’s elite. But as Blashill pointed out, consistency and crispness are the next steps in their evolution.
For now, though, the Lightning remain one of the hottest teams in hockey - and they’re showing no signs of cooling off.