The Tampa Bay Lightning’s streak of eleven straight games without a regulation loss came to an end on Sunday evening, as they dropped a 3-2 decision to the Detroit Red Wings. A good home ice performance from the Wings was enough to relegate the Lightning to the “L… column for the first time a long time. Tampa remains two points back of Montreal for second place in the Atlantic Division with one game in hand.
While the Lightning did end up winning the overall possession battle, a lot of that probably comes down to score effects. For the first forty minutes of play, Detroit had a fairly solid advantage in FF%. The Wings played like a team that was desperate for a win, and it paid off. Give credit to them for taking advantage of their opportunities.
After playing late Saturday in Buffalo and starting early Sunday in Detroit, it was imperative that the Bolts got off to a good start. And they did. Valtteri Filppula scored his 25th (!) of the year just less than nine minutes into the game to give the Lightning a 1-0 lead. The former wing took advantage of a Detroit turnover and wristed the puck past Jonas Gustavsson, who seemed to have trouble tracking the puck all night long.
Filppula’s goal was the first and only piece of good for the Lightning in that first period, as Joakim Andersson and Gustav Nyquist both beat Ben Bishop before the first period buzzer rang. Nyquist’s goal, in particular, was a thing of beauty. With Matt Carle draped all over him, Nyquist somehow maintained control of the puck before sending it past the Lightning tender from an impossible angle. Words don’t do the play justice, so I’ll just let you see for yourself.
The Nyquist goal... @ESPN_NHL better have this tonight. http://t.co/GVpcvGoCmb
— Ayron (@ayronatthewings) March 30, 2014David Legwand extended the Detroit lead to 3-1 at the 16:36 mark of the second when he tipped home his 13th of the year, a power play goal. That one was really the dagger for the Lightning, who found themselves making too many cute plays and turnovers all night long. There just wasn’t enough left in the tank to mount the comeback. Not even a late Sami Salo goal could serve as a rallying cry.
What was perhaps most disappointing to me about Sunday’s loss wasn’t the fact that the Lightning lost the game. I know that sounds silly, but hear me out. This team isn’t going to win every game. After watching the Lightning pick up points in eleven straight games, it would be pretty rich for me to sit here and be upset with a single regulation loss. What disappointed me most was that Ben Bishop started on the second half of back-to-back games.
It’s a well-known fact that goaltenders regress heavily on the second night of a back-to-back situation. It’s also a well-known fact that Ben Bishop has played more hockey this season than he has ever before in his National Hockey League career. It’s also a well-known fact that Bishop is battling an injury that may require off-season attention. Those three factors tell me that it should have been Anders Lindback in goal on Sunday night.
The Bolts are going to make the playoffs. It’s not a matter of if they’ll clinch a spot, it’s a matter of when. The only thing that could prevent that from happening is a Toronto-like collapse. Starting Anders Lindback wouldn’t have ruined this club’s fortunes. It would have given the team’s number one guy some much needed rest, and afforded the backup a chance to stay warm and play. Raw Charge writer Kyle Alexander summed up what this comes down to quite nicely:
I still blame management/coaching. If your backup isn't good enough to play in B2B situations what's the point of carrying one?
— Kyle Alexander (@kalexanderRC) March 30, 2014I'll take a rested Bishop in a best of seven without home ice over a tired Bishop in a best of seven with home ice. #TBLightning
— Michael Stuart (@HB_MikeStuart) March 30, 2014The Lightning will take on the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night. The atmosphere at the Forum is likely to be electric with two of the Atlantic Division’s top three seeds in action.
As always, thanks for reading.