The Tampa Bay Lightning might not have delivered a flawless victory, but they certainly got the job done against the Vancouver Canucks, securing a 6-2 win. This victory nudged Vancouver closer to the top draft lottery odds.
It was a team effort for Tampa Bay, with six different players lighting the lamp and Nikita Kucherov putting on a show with three points. Between the pipes, Andrei Vasilevskiy was solid, stopping 19 of 21 shots.
While the Lightning had their moments of struggle, especially when Vancouver managed to pin them in their zone, they limited the Canucks to just four high-danger chances over the first two periods. The Bolts’ passing wasn’t always on point, and against a tougher opponent, the outcome might have been different. However, they managed to dominate when it mattered.
Brandon Hagel hit a milestone, reaching 300 points with the Lightning faster than all but two players in franchise history. Meanwhile, Kucherov is hot on Connor McDavid's heels for the league lead in points.
First Period
The Lightning started slower than they did against Seattle, with Vancouver initially disrupting their forecheck. The Canucks tried to capitalize by sending their forwards flying out of the zone, creating rush opportunities, though they couldn’t convert these into shots on goal.
Tampa Bay found their groove midway through, pinning Vancouver in their zone for multiple shifts. Despite a tripping call on J.J.
Moser that eased the pressure, Vancouver couldn’t capitalize on the power play. Back at even strength, the Lightning broke through with a deflected point shot from Charle-Edouard D’Astous, putting them up 1-0.
Second Period
The Lightning quickly extended their lead in the second period, scoring three times before the first TV timeout. Darren Raddysh, Yanni Gourde, and Kucherov each found the back of the net, showcasing Tampa Bay’s offensive depth.
Vancouver called a timeout to regroup, and it seemed to work momentarily. They managed to break Vasilevskiy’s shutout bid with a goal from Liam Ohgren, narrowing the gap to 4-1. Despite losing Victor Hedman for the period, the Lightning’s defense tightened up, and Erik Cernak returned after blocking a shot to help kill off a late penalty.
Third Period
Starting the third with a penalty kill, the Lightning managed an odd-man rush that was thwarted by Lankinen. Vancouver upped their forecheck, causing a few hiccups for Tampa Bay. Linus Karlsson capitalized on a rebound to make it 4-2, but the Bolts responded quickly.
Anthony Cirelli’s line restored order, with Cirelli himself deflecting a pass from Hagel to widen the lead to 5-2. Moments later, Hagel added another off a rush, assisted by Kucherov and Moser, sealing the 6-2 victory.
Both teams seemed content to ride out the final minutes. The Lightning had a late power play but couldn’t add to their tally. Despite wins from their rivals, Tampa Bay’s victory was crucial as they head to Edmonton, aiming for a third consecutive win.