We should have known early on in the game it wasn’t going to be the Tampa Bay Lightning’s night as Nikita Kucherov and Victor Hedman crashed into each other in the offensive zone allowing for an easy clear by the Detroit Red Wings. On a night where a tired Lightning team came close time and again, they just couldn’t find the back of the net as they fell to the Wings, 2-0. Andrei Vasilevskiy kept them in the game with 29 saves on 30 shots.
Erik Cernak returned to the line-up as Coach Jon Cooper went with an 11/7 rotation with Cameron Atkinson scratched. Cernak logged 20:09 of ice time after missing four games, recording two shots on net and two blocks.
Early in the game the Lightning seemed to be a step behind a bit, which, all things considered was a bit understandable. The good news is that Andrei Vasilevskiy was well-rested and sharp as he turned aside several shots from between the circles.
As for the Lightning offense, it wasn’t prolific, but they still generated a few quality chances. Nikita Kucherov was a windmilling glove save by Cam Talbot away from converting a two-on-one. After the Lightning tried to set a Guinness World Record for most passes inside a three-foot circle, Anthony Cirelli fired a puck just wide of an open net. Then, Kucherov had the best chance for either team, but his backhand found the iron behind Cam Talbot.
One downside from the opening period was Max Crozier heading to the locker room after he threw a check at the massive Elmer Soderblom. It was a solid shoulder check to the chest of the 6’8″, 247 lb. forward, but it barely fazed him.
The good news in the second period was that Crozier was back on the ice so they had their full defensive compliment. The bad news was that the Red Wings took the lead. It wasn’t a bad period for the Lightning, especially defensively as they cut down some of the chances that Detroit had in the first period. Unfortunately, they couldn’t generate that much at the other end of the ice.
A power play for the Bolts seemed a likely opportunity to get some shots on goal, but it sputtered a bit, and then ended (not before Jake Guentzel was whistled for embellishment as he executed a sell job that a WWE wrestler would be proud of after a hooking/high-stick from Dylan Larkin). Despite 5 shot attempts with the extra skater, the Bolts only got one on net and the game remained scoreless.
At least for a few minutes. Marco Kasper, who was the Red Wing that was in the box on the initial penalty was able to circle around from behind the bench and redirected a shot-pass from J.T. Compher.
Marco Kasper (J.T. Compher, Christian Fischer) 1-0 Red Wings
The Lightning were trying to get things going in the offensive zone, but Detroit was able to keep most of the pressure to the outside as only 9 of the 20 shot attempts from Tampa Bay made their way on net. For the second night in a row, the Lightning headed into the third period trailing. They also headed into the period short-handed as Victor Hedman and Brandon Hagel were sent off for roughing (along with Dylan Larkin) during a post-whistle scrum as the period ended.
Despite having two of their better penalty-killers in the box, the Lightning disposed of the short-handed opportunity rather handily, and almost tied it off as Anthony Cirelli had an open lane to the net, but Talbot turned it aside.
Much like the night before, the Lightning emptied the tank in the third period, but Detroit didn’t break even as they bent to their fullest. Despite a too-many-men penalty stalling their attack five minutes into the period Tampa Bay still managed to generate 16 scoring chances in the period. Midway through the frame, the Lightning had another chance on the power play, but couldn’t find the equalizer. Victor Hedman had a great look off of a rebound, but couldn’t beat Talbot, who was sensational on the night with 28 saves against an expected goals of 3.37 for the Bolts.
With time winding down, Vasilevskiy went to the bench and the Lightning pushed the attack. In the last 2:24, Tampa Bay had 11 shot attempts. Credit to the Red Wings for blocking six of them as they collapsed around their netminder. Cirelli had a good look down low, but as he had for most of the night, Talbot got just enough of a pad on it to keep it out.
Still, it looked like the Lightning would pull off another last-second comeback when Victor Hedman crashed down low and had an open net. His shot went behind Talbot, but through the crease, wide of the net.
Detroit would win a board battle and clear the puck. Michael Rasmussen skated it through the neutral zone and into the net just as he was tripped up by Kucherov. Had he not slid the puck in before he crashed into the empty net, he would have been awarded the goal as the ref’s arm was raised in the air.
Michael Rasmussen (Albert Johansson) Empty Net, 2-0 Red Wings
The loss, coupled with a win by Boston dropped the Lightning out of the third spot in the Atlantic. They’ll have two days off before taking on the Chicago Blackhawks at Amalie Arena to begin a five-game home-stand.
