In a game that kept fans on the edge of their seats, the Lightning showcased their usual dominance but fell just short in overtime against Seattle. Despite rallying from a 3-1 deficit for the third consecutive game, they couldn’t find that crucial fourth goal.
The Lightning were relentless, outshooting Seattle 33-19 and posting a remarkable shot attempt advantage of 74-34. From the second period onward, the numbers were even more lopsided at 54-20.
However, Seattle’s performance was a marked improvement from their previous 6-2 defeat to the Lightning. The Kraken’s resilience was evident, especially in their defensive efforts, blocking 27 shots and protecting their net fiercely.
Seattle struck first at 15:18 of the opening period, capitalizing on a quick counterattack right after a Lightning penalty kill. Emil Lilleberg exited the box, and Freddy Gaudreau set up Brandon Montour, who made no mistake with his in-alone chance.
The Lightning responded quickly thanks to a fortunate deflection. Ryan Lindgren's block inadvertently set up Anthony Cirelli, who scored his 20th of the season at 17:01.
Yet, Seattle wasn’t done. Chandler Stephenson’s slick pass to Kaapo Kakko resulted in another Kraken goal before the period ended.
Down 3-1 early in the second, the Lightning needed a spark, and Jake Guentzel provided it. Catching Seattle mid-change, Darren Raddysh found Guentzel, who finished a breakaway at 5:56. The momentum continued as Corey Perry tied it up with a power-play goal at 10:18, set up beautifully by Guentzel.
The Lightning controlled the game from there, especially in the third period, out-attempting Seattle 24-7. However, Seattle’s goalie, Philipp Grubauer, stood tall, making crucial saves to push the game into overtime.
Overtime was a chaotic affair. A missed connection from Berkly Catton to Montour gave Seattle a three-on-two advantage, which Montour capitalized on, slipping a shot through Andrei Vasilevskiy’s pads at 2:47.
Despite the loss, the Lightning’s effort was commendable, earning them a valuable point and bringing their season total to 94. With 11 regular-season games remaining, eight against Atlantic Division rivals, they’ll look to build on this performance as they prepare to face Ottawa on Saturday.