In the case of a near-death experience, brushing up against the end of existence often brings renewal, an unadulterated appreciation for the joys of life. Going down 3-1 to Washington would have spelled annihilation for Tampa Bay. But the Bolts persisted, and their escape from the clutches of the grim reaper can only be attributed to the ineffable play of goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy. In the NHL playoffs, the battered and left-for-dead seek vengeance. The Lightning can now inflict revenge in a series turned neo-noir.

The Capitals had the Lightning on their heels for long stretches of last night’s game. But the Lightning’s struggles were the fault of their forwards, not the defensemen. Since the Tampa Bay forwards are struggling in their passing, forechecking, and puck management, and relying heavily on their power play, it is up to the team’s defense to counteract the forwards’ inconsistent impact.

The Lightning defensemen are expected to buoy the breakout, play tenaciously and judiciously in their defensive coverage, and still contribute on the rush and cycle. That is a tall order! And that is only at even strength. On the penalty kill, their work was valiant. It was their efforts, along with Vasilevskiy’s memorable performance, that kept the Lightning competitive.

The forwards had a rough go of it for almost the entire night. The Lightning want to forecheck and use the cycle to stultify the Capitals’ speed. The Brayden Point line generated a few good chances working below the goal line, the best one perhaps coming in the third period when Point had a whack from the low slot. The game-winner by Alex Killorn came off a failed read on Ondrej Palat when Palat retrieved the puck behind the net. Palat retrieved the puck with impunity, and there was a second case of faulty coverage with Killorn in the low slot. The area below the circles and the net is a region of access where Tampa Bay should attack. The Capitals are skilled at getting in the passing and shooting lanes, especially in transition defense, but it is harder for them to defend when they have their backs turned. When the Lightning forwards are too spread out, the Capitals are proficient at dismantling the surge of speed.

When in the neutral zone, the Lightning need to be smarter about how they enter the offensive zone. The puck doesn’t have to be carried in; the Capitals are doing a nice job of forcing the Lightning to forfeit possession. But Tampa Bay needs to create an indirect way for the other forwards on the line to obtain possession if the direct passing lanes are shut down. Make the chip-and-chase winnable. (Yanni Gourde has had success with the self-pass against Washington.)

With ten minutes and change left in the second period, Steven Stamkos received the puck while he was jetting up the boards. He crossed the blue line, and slid an area pass to Palat below the goal line. Palat won the sprint to the puck, and Stamkos had a nice opportunity when he deflected a shot from Ryan McDonagh that nearly beat Braden Holtby later in the shift. It was one of the Lightning’s best scoring chances at even strength, and it was obtained through better puck support. If there is no second forward within sight, the Lightning should do a U-turn, regroup, and try again.

One minute after the Stamkos deflection, Tyler Johnson pitchforked the puck into the offensive zone, and no one was there to challenge. The Capitals seized on the opening, racing into the offensive zone, which led to a near miss by Alexander Ovechkin from a foot outside the crease. The Lightning surrendering the puck and the Capitals quickly counterattacking is highly problematic. The practice leads to less territorial advantage while also failing to neutralize the Capitals’ rush. If the Lightning want to forecheck, they need to have puck support in the area the puck is placed—and, most importantly, they need to actually succeed in the disruption. There were definitely times when the bodies were there but the Capitals exited the zone without much difficulty. Last night was a failure of the forecheck in multiple ways.

On the topic of puck management, when the Lightning did get rush opportunities, they needed to stop looking for the perfect pass. The Lightning are seeking a clear shot attempt on net, like the Johnson breakaway in the last five minutes of the second period. But funneling the puck toward net can open the door to rebound opportunities and prized offensive-zone time. When the idealistic pass fails, it can also open the door for a frightening counterattack by Washington. Be smarter. The Capitals can be exploited from below the goal line. Give the cycle a chance.

Memory is ephemeral, which is frustrating because in the not-too-distant future Vasilevskiy’s performance in Game 4 will be condensed into an appreciative nod and acknowledgement that he stole the game. Which is categorically true. The Lightning were outplayed. But the Lightning have a chance to weave a larger narrative, one of redemption. Game 4 was when they rose from the dead. Survival is a trait of a Cup team. But the Lightning forwards need to dictate how they will be remembered.

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