Wanna blog? Start your own hockey blog with My HockeyBuzz. Register for free today!
 

Lightning’s Lopsided Win Sets Stage for Showdown with Carolina

October 15, 2018, 11:31 AM ET [2 Comments]
Sam Hitchcock
Tampa Bay Lightning Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Memory is selective. The Lightning ended last season in disappointment. They blew a 3-2 lead in the conference finals against Washington, falling a win short of returning to the Stanley Cup final. That bitterness drowned out moments of triumph, and there were many, including Tampa Bay’s trampling of a white-hot Bruins squad when many pundits had predicted the Lightning to lose.

That series was memorable because the Lightning were vastly superior in speed, and the consequences proved dire for the Bruins. Shockingly, the Lightning are even faster this year, as the addition of Mathieu Joseph makes the third line inexhaustible and a constant threat to spring a counterattack. On Saturday, the Lightning dominated in a fashion similar to the one they displayed in the Bruins series, with their speed fueling them as they walloped the Columbus Blue Jackets 8-2.

The Lightning defensemen were empowered by their forwards’ speed. Victor Hedman scored the first goal on a pinch into the low slot, and his abuse of lazy defensive coverage was one example of how the Lightning defensemen were able to slink into the lower regions of the home-plate area because their forward support over the top was so pronounced.

There were almost too many good backchecking plays to count. There were those by the usual suspects, like Ondrej Palat and Anthony Cirelli, but there were also great efforts by Nikita Kucherov, Tyler Johnson, and even J.T. Miller. Joseph is still raw in his own zone, but in terms of straight-ahead speed to track down an opposing puck-carrier, he and Cirelli prove to be a formidable pair together. All that speed enabled defensemen like Anton Stralman to step up and shatter any momentum for prospective rushes. The forward-defenseman bond was resolute.

The speed quotient’s effect on zone exits was marvelous as well. The entire Lightning defensive group recognized that it was unnecessary to direct pass it out of their zone. That would only slow the forwards down as they traversed the slot. Instead, Tampa Bay has at least two forwards sprinting through the neutral zone, and by a defenseman tossing it into an area in the middle zone, the Lightning forwards have the acceleration to scoop up the puck and turn it into a transition scoring chance.

The Lightning even saw what happens when they choose a more deliberate exit. On the Blue Jackets’ Josh Anderson goal, yes, Dan Girardi stopped skating on a purported icing, which kept the puck in the Tampa Bay zone. But Adam Erne’s turn toward the inside instead of whipping the puck out was a mistake that proved costly.

There was also the speed on the forecheck, which sparked several goals. Steven Stamkos, while no longer the same dominant sniper, demonstrated great stick positioning and anticipation as his work along the boards triggered Hedman’s goal and Brayden Point’s. Stamkos linemate Yanni Gourde had a nice seal along the wall, which opened the door for Cedric Paquette’s goal.

Finally, speed helped the Lightning win the special teams matchup. The Lightning’s speed off their entries, how quickly the puck moved east-west, and the quickness with which they collected rebounds and slung them back on net evinced a type of rapidity while attacking and retrieving that makes the Lightning power play a contender for best in the league this season.

On the penalty kill, there was the significant block by Stralman on an open-net chance that saved a goal, but overall it was the speed with which the Lightning pounced on bad passes and cleared the puck out when they had the opportunity. The Lightning struggled last season because, when they had an attempt to chuck the puck from the zone, they would instead try another pass or lob it too low. On Saturday, they were hurling it out and doing an effective job stalling any speed on the following entry.

On Tuesday, Tampa Bay plays the Hurricanes, who are the hottest team in the Metropolitan right now. The Lightning appear to have unlocked the right line combinations. If they play faster than Carolina, they will string together their first win streak of the season.
Join the Discussion: » 2 Comments » Post New Comment
More from Sam Hitchcock
» Verhaeghe's Role if Stamkos is Sidelined
» Stamkos's Linemates Should Feed Him in the Crease
» Three Personal Goals for the Grinders
» How COVID Could Test the Bolts' Depth
» What Happens to Cooper If TB Loses