After watching the Tampa Bay Lightning drop a 4-1 decision to the Calgary Flames and then follow it up with a 5-2 loss to the Dallas Stars, it might be a little bit hard to believe that this team is heading to the post-season. The loss puts Tampa four points back of the Montreal Canadiens in the Atlantic Division race.
Minor league hockey coaches near and far can take the first period of Saturday’s contest and use it as a perfect example of how NOT to start a hockey game. Jamie Benn opened the scoring with his 31st of the season, a tip-in off an Alex Goligoski shot, only 40 seconds into the game. Benn then doubled the Stars lead at the 5:37 mark when he beat Ben Bishop with a wrist shot. Just like that it was a 2-0 game.
Things went from bad to worse for the Bolts only moments later, as Radko Gudas was ejected from the game and assessed a match penalty for a hit on Antoine Roussel. Before I comment, I’ll give you a chance to look at the hit for yourself.
RT @HockeyWebCast [New Video] Radko Gudas Headshots Antoine Roussel (HD Multiview) http://t.co/k9WuFnAAvD
— Michael Stuart (@HB_MikeStuart) April 6, 2014Now, as for the hit, I do agree with the majority of Lightning fans when they say that Gudas wasn’t ‘targeting’ Roussel’s head. With that said, I also don’t have a huge problem with the penalty as it was assessed. It’s true that Roussel put himself in a very vulnerable position. It’s true that Roussel probably should have been more aware of his surroundings. It’s true that Roussel needs to take some responsibility for what happened. But it’s also true that the NHL has consistently made it clear that the onus for hits to the head generally lies with the player making the hit.
I maintained early on that Gudas probably could have avoided a penalty if he had just stayed on his original trajectory. Instead, he turns into Roussel just as the two are about to make contact. Contrary to the opinion of some, I don’t believe that Roussel had the opportunity to avoid the collision once Gudas made the choice to turn. Reaching for the puck wasn’t a smart decision on the part of Roussel, but neither was Gudas’s choice to turn.
The Stars were given a five minute power play out of all that kerfuffle, but the Lightning were able to kill it off beautifully. At the time, you probably thought that the kill might lead to something special for the Bolts. Maybe it would spark their interest, wake them up, and allow them to get back into the game. Nope.
Tyler Seguin scored his 35th of the season with just over a minute left in the first frame to give his Stars a commanding 3-0 lead. That Benn-Seguin-Nichushkin line absolutely destroyed the Lightning in the opening stanza; it will undoubtedly be one of the league’s best trio’s for a lot of years.
The magic of score effects took control in the second period, which allowed the Lightning to jump right back into things. If you’re unfamiliar with what score effects are, just take a look at this graph.
IT'S ALIVE! pic.twitter.com/W5ywcFAa2B
— Bolt Statistics (@BoltStatistics) April 6, 2014After carrying momentum for the first half of that second period, all the Lightning’s hard work went for naught when Ryan Malone took a double minor for high-sticking. It was a bad penalty to take at such a critical juncture in the game. While the Bolts were able to kill off Bugsy’s penalty, they also handed momentum right back to the Stars. It’s hard not to imagine what could have been had Malone not been careless with his stick, as the Lightning were phenomenal in the second.
Dallas capitalized twice early in the third period, giving them a 5-2 lead they wouldn’t relinquish. Vernon Fiddler’s 6th of the year and Antoine Roussel’s 14th of the campaign were enough to put Tampa out of reach. The win was a big one for the Stars, as they now sit in the final wildcard spot out West.
I’ve already mentioned that I’m tired of seeing Ben Bishop in goal, but I’ll say it again. I’m tired of seeing Ben Bishop in goal. Do you know why I’m tired of seeing Ben Bishop in goal? Because Ben Bishop is clearly tired in goal. Another subpar performance from him tells me that he needs rest.
Jon Cooper can talk all he wants about how this team is fighting for home ice and needs to play its best players, but it’s not worth tiring out the number one guy just before a playoff run. I’ve already made it clear that I’ll take a rested Bishop on the road over a tired Bishop at home. That, to me, is what all this boils down to. I’m a huge fan of the work that Cooper has done with this team, but I’m struggling to agree with his handling of the goaltending.
If not resting Bishop was a ploy to get home ice in the playoffs, it's failing. Now you've got a tired Bishop and are likely w/o home ice.
— Michael Stuart (@HB_MikeStuart) April 6, 2014@originalEMurphy @thehockeyhitman I would almost think at this point they might turn to Gudlevskis if Bishop can't go
— Erik Erlendsson (@erlendssonTBO) April 4, 2014The Lightning’s next game is on Tuesday against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Playing against the possession black hole that is the Leafs may be just what the doctor ordered for this Lightning team.
As always, thanks for reading.