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Bolts' Regular Season Epilogue Begins |
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Last night felt like the beginning of the epilogue to the Lightning’s regular season. Before puck drop Tampa Bay had officially clinched a playoff spot, and the lineup reflected a team that feels assured of its fate. Jan Rutta got his first opportunity to play in a Lightning uniform because Anton Stalman and Dan Girardi were scratches. Mikhail Sergachev played the right side with Victor Hedman, and Mathieu Joseph got bumped up to the third line while Yanni Gourde dropped down to the fourth. Also, the power play offered some truly innovative looks that we have not seen before this season. (Hedman slid into Brayden Point’s bumper spot at one point.)
Despite all the changes, the Lightning played great, defeating Detroit 3-2. They held the Red Wings to 21 Corsi at 5v5, which is the fewest shot attempts they have allowed an opponent all season. (The October 24th game against the Avalanche was the only other time the opposition was held below 30.) They put an incredible amount of stress on Detroit goaltender Jonathan Bernier, obtaining 27 shots to the Red Wings’ 10 at 5v5, and tripling them in High-Danger Scoring Chances.
Both of those stats are worth underlining before I gush about how well the forwards played because there was one big-picture insight that will make the Lightning unstoppable if they can apply it against good teams. The Lightning defense was extremely aggressive on the rush and forecheck, and yet the Red Wings rarely penalized them for it. That was partly because Detroit is such a woeful team without Dylan Larkin, but it was also a testament to the forward support over the top that made odd-man rushes infrequent.
When a Tampa Bay defenseman pinches, coach Jon Cooper demands that the F3 submit himself as an offensive threat ready to shoot or pass on command, but the F3 can still maintain equilibrium if there is a turnover and the puck sharply reverses course. Last night, the Lightning managed the puck well while also being dominant with their speed offensively and defensively. And when that happens, their defensemen are able to play unbridled.
My predilection is for a shoot first, ask-questions later, Brayden Point, but last night was the best version of Point as a supercharged playmaker. He consistently created space for himself with his superb edge-work and speed—Darren Helm memorably lost an edge after an especially sharp turn on the power play—and the Wings were completely incapable of slowing down Point when he was exiting the zone and in the neutral zone. Point was also ruthless in his defensive effort. He was smothering in transition defense and sinking down low and winning one-on-one jousts to initiate breakouts.
To be fair, Point isn’t usually lackluster in his defensive effort, but the extra burst he had last night, coupled with the forecheck of a weak team, allowed him to exert a degree of control that was unusual. (An example of Point’s effort being harnessed by an opponent for evil ends would be the turnover he surrendered on Wednesday Night hockey against the Penguins on January 30th. In that instance, his quick change of direction and inability to accelerate out of trouble were used against him.)
Kucherov was definitely a beneficiary of Point’s dominant night. Point’s pass to Kucherov for No. 86’s first goal was superb F2 work by Point. Sneakily, Point wedged himself into an area behind Jonathan Ericsson to win possession while surrounded by three Red Wings skaters and slipped the puck into the low slot to an uncovered Kucherov.
And Kucherov nearly scored more. He could have had a hat trick if he had converted off Point’s feed that sprung him on a breakaway.
But focusing too much on Point does a disservice to the rest of the Lightning players. The refurbished third line of Alex Killorn-Anthony Cirelli-Joseph did not allow a shot attempt against while collecting 10. Heck, Cirelli would have had a goal if not for a bonkers glove save by Bernier.
Tampa Bay was able to consistently create turnovers and win races to the puck, putting Detroit on its heels.
The Steven Stamkos line was also robbed of glory after Stamkos’s goal was overturned. J.T. Miller’s pressure on the forecheck created a turnover, and Ondrej Palat, who was perched up high as the F3, swung the puck to Stamkos in the slot. Stamkos snapped the puck past Bernier, but the goal was denied due to a failed keep-in by Sergachev earlier in the sequence. But the process was perfect. The Lightning were excellent at hounding the Red Wings’ puck-carrier into a mistake and passing the puck into space. Both of these virtues were evident in the almost-but-not-quite Stamkos goal.
Stay healthy and stay focused. With 13 games remaining, the Lightning are freed from the anxiety that besets a normal successful franchise that is jostling for playoff positioning. Instead, they can try new looks on the power play, concentrate on committing less penalties, and rest some of their stars so they have fresh legs for the long, postseason haul.
Tampa Bay Lightning Blogger • 
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