The Tampa Bay Lightning just keep rolling. With a 3-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets, they’ve now pushed their blistering run to 16-1-1-an elite stretch that’s cementing their place as the team to beat in the East. For Winnipeg, it’s another frustrating step back, as they fall to 21-25-7 on the season.
Let’s break this one down.
Lightning Strike First-and Fast
The Jets have made a habit of scoring first lately-12 of their last 14 games, in fact-but this time, it was Tampa that jumped on the early mistake. A neutral zone turnover by Cole Perfetti opened the door, and when Elias Salomonsson couldn’t adjust in time, Dominic James made them pay. Just like that, it was 1-0 Lightning.
Still, considering how dominant Tampa has been lately, Winnipeg had a solid first period. They were down a goal, yes, but they didn’t look overmatched early on.
That changed quickly in the second.
Tampa Takes Control
Barely 90 seconds into the middle frame, Darren Raddysh sent a shot through traffic that found the back of the net. It was a textbook example of how the Lightning capitalize on chaos-get bodies in front, fire the puck, and let the screen do the work. Suddenly, it was 2-0 and the Jets were chasing.
Winnipeg did manage to get one back thanks to some gritty work in front of the net. Gabriel Vilardi didn’t get an assist on the scoresheet, but he created the kind of net-front traffic that makes goalies miserable.
Kyle Connor, with a slick tip, buried his 24th of the season. That made it 2-1, and for a moment, there was life.
But that life didn’t last long.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
When the Lightning carry a lead into the third period, they’re basically automatic. They came into the night 23-1 when leading after 40 minutes.
The Jets? Just 1-17-2 when trailing after two.
So when Tampa made it 3-1 before the second intermission, the writing was on the wall.
And the third period played out exactly like those numbers suggested it would.
Tampa didn’t just sit back-they dominated possession, spending the bulk of the final frame in the Jets’ zone. The Bolts outshot Winnipeg 16-4 in the third, despite already being up by two. That’s not just protecting a lead-that’s suffocating your opponent.
Meanwhile, Winnipeg’s offense sputtered. Their odd-man rushes lacked execution, and they never really mounted a serious push to get back into the game.
Other Notes
- Logan Stanley didn’t make many friends in Tampa after a first-period collision with Nikita Kucherov. Kucherov left the game briefly but returned for the second period.
- No multi-point games for either side.
- Winnipeg’s road trip continues, with a scheduled practice in Fort Lauderdale before facing the Panthers next.
This was a game where one team looked like a contender and the other looked like it’s still trying to find its footing. The Jets had their moments, but against a team playing this well, moments aren’t enough. The Lightning, on the other hand, continue to show why they’re the class of the Eastern Conference right now.