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With Nothing Left to Prove, Lightning are Proving Something |
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With nothing left to prove, the Tampa Bay Lightning are proving something. Last night, the Bolts earned a 3-0 victory over the middling Seattle Kraken for their 12th victory of the season and second consecutive shutout. Here are tonight’s thumbs:
Thumbs Up: Proving it Again
It’s only fitting that Yanni Gourde returned to Amalie Arena (to a raucous reception, I might add) on a day when the Lightning demonstrated all of the wonderful work they’ve done to compete in his and others’ absence this year. Given the quality of talent that Tampa lost completely to offseason transactions and now temporarily to injury, it’s impossible not to be impressed with the group these days. They are finding ways to compete when it should be so much harder than they’re used to it being. It would have been so easy to rest on two straight Stanley Cups and call it a day on the competitive window, but the 2021-22 Lightning still look as hungry as ever.
Whether this group has what it takes to go all the way again remains to be seen, but what they’ve shown through the first ~quarter of the season is a huge testament to the coaches and leadership group. They deserve our praise.
Thumbs Up: Andrei Vasilevskiy Shuts the Door… Again
He wasn’t tested all that much, but Andrei Vasilevskiy was there when the Lightning needed him. He stopped all 17 shots fired his way en route to his 200th career win. After a rough start to the season, Vasilevskiy appears to be rounding into form. He holds a 10-3-3 record on the year, a 2.09 goals against average, and a .926 save percentage. Both those last two stats are better than his career averages, which is especially impressive when you consider all that he’s accomplished to date.
Thumbs Up: Stamkos Gets 450
Steven Stamkos scored his 11th goal the season to make it a 3-0 game, another one of his patented bombs from the circle. That was the 450th time he’s lit the lamp in 860 career games. At 31 years old, with two Stanley Cups as Captain under his belt, he continues to produce at an ultra-impressive clip.
When the history books settle on Stamkos’ career, we’ll all look back with both amazement and a sense of ‘what could have been’. His injury history is well documented, robbing him of prime years in a league he so often dominates when healthy. As evidence, take a look at the following:
He may not be the volume shooter that a guy like Alex Ovechkin is, but when he picks his spot, he doesn’t usually miss.
Thumbs Up: Depth Stepping Up
I mentioned this after the last game as well, but it really is great to see some of the depth pieces step up in the absence of players like Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point. Last night it was Pierre-Edouard Bellemare and Ross Colton. It certainly feels like the bottom-six has graduated from some of the growing pains that were plaguing them earlier in the season.
Thumbs Down: A Close Call
When Victor Hedman left the ice favouring his left arm after a behind-the-play mishap, it was hard not to get a sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach. Cernak, Point, Kucherov... and now Hedman? Thankfully the Swedish giant returned to the ice without missing a shift.
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As always, thanks for reading.
Tampa Bay Lightning Blogger • 
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