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Reviewing the Big Three's Performance after Loss to Islanders |
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This is going to be a tough week. With games against the Islanders, Panthers, Bruins, and Capitals, the Bolts will be able to test their mettle against the Eastern Conference’s finest. Last night was the beginning of the gauntlet, and the 5-1 loss to New York was a disappointing result, as the Islanders successfully muzzled the Lightning’s rush and Tampa Bay was forced to get shots through the forecheck and cycle against New York’s tight-checking, layered defensive coverage.
But one of the reasons the Lightning had such a heralded season last year was their stars. In 2018-19, Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point trio combined for 127 goals, which was nearly 40 percent of their goals. This year, they have scored 30 goals as a trio, which is just a smidge under 30 percent. The Lightning offense is still explosive, but the triumvirate has been noticeably less dangerous. Considering the big names up front, it is worth doing a “Star Watch” periodically to examine the good and bad.
Brayden Point and Steven Stamkos
Although Point had a quick ascension to becoming a prolific scorer, this season he has demonstrated that he still has a lot to learn. Teams are doing an excellent job of hindering his speed, and are having a shockingly easy time cordoning him to the perimeter or into multiple defenders. Point, who at times was the Lightning’s best playmaker last season, has been turning over the puck far too often. He hasn’t been able to get separation, and opponents are ready for him to put on the brakes and look for the second wave. Fortunately, he has a legendary center to learn from on his team. Against the Islanders, I saw three examples in which Stamkos made a play and it occurred to me that Point would be wise to take note and incorporate it in his game.
In the first period, Stamkos nearly committed a costly turnover in his own zone, but the captain regained control and eventually moved the puck to Hedman for the regroup. When Hedman turned the puck over to the Islanders, New York gave it right back, and Stamkos was there to snatch up possession for the uncontested entry. Stamkos accelerated into the offensive zone and whipped a shot from just above the right circle that was only saved by Semyon Varlamov’s stick. He also fired the puck so quickly Adam Pelech was unable to block the shot.
This is where Point should be scribbling notes. Point also has the ability to rush into the offensive zone with speed, but unlike Stamkos, his release is slow, and his shot doesn’t have the same velocity. Defensemen know this, and are able to block his attempts on the rush much more easily. So instead he’ll try to beat them one-on-one or, he’ll U-turn and look for help.
This means Point needs to release the puck earlier, instead of holding onto it so long the defenseman can take away the shooting lane, or use his fake-slapshot-and-scurry move more. At least by winding up for the slapshot, that fake causes the defenseman to halt. Where Point runs into trouble is he tries to race past defensemen at one speed, and a good-skating defender can keep pace and block his slow windup.
On the sequence that led to the Stamkos goal, at first Stamkos nearly got a primary assist after a won faceoff that Alex Killorn smacked off the bar. But after the puck left the offensive zone, Stamkos let Killorn and Anthony Cirelli work a give-and-go before they found Kevin Shattenkirk, who had jumped up to the top of the right circle to help stoke the offense. So how did Stamkos, who had veered left while the play developed on the right, get separation?
He had center Derick Brassard covering him in the slot, and right as the puck was arriving on Shattenkirk’s stick, Stamkos gave Brassard a shove in the back that gave him room for the reception of the pass and the quick turnaround goal. Point never uses the shove in front of the net, and is generally the one getting manhandled. Sometimes he fights back, but when he does he struggles to keep himself in scoring position. Stamkos’s move was abrupt, and not blatant enough to draw a penalty.
The final example came at the beginning of the third period, a shot was thrown on goal by Alex Killorn and after Cirelli had a through-the-leg tip on net, Stamkos had a follow-up shot that he almost swatted past Varlamov. The reason Stamkos got the opportunity on the far post was simply that he read the play quickly, and beat Devon Toews to the puck. Sometimes hockey is simply arriving to a destination first.
Nikita Kucherov
It’s strange that Kucherov is leading the team in points and his first 27 games seem so disappointing, but the bar is that high for No. 86. He has normalized greatness. But this season, his impact has been less frequent. My biggest gripe comes from his hesitancy to shoot. The Islanders don’t commit a lot of penalties, so every opportunity is precious. Yet on the first power play of the game, Kucherov had a pass to Victor Hedman that got intercepted, and then attempted two shot passes, one of which Killorn nearly tipped in. But there were no shots. Then on the second power play, Stamkos ripped two shots wide, and then the Lightning obtained a four-on-two, but instead of shooting on the rush Kucherov sent it over to Stamkos.
Stamkos would try to deke and make a pass, and the turnover led to the shorthanded goal by Josh Bailey. Four minutes of power play and Kucherov didn’t even attempt a shot on net.
Kucherov finished the night with four shots on goal, but in the last two months he has only had over five shots on goal twice. In October, he had five or more shots on goal three times. While Kucherov is an excellent passer, against teams like the Islanders who are so good with their sticks and in taking away room, he needs to be more selfish when he has the puck with time and space. Kucherov has an incredible shot, and the Lightning need him shooting if they want to advance deep in the playoffs.
Tampa Bay Lightning Blogger • 
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