The Tampa Bay Lightning let things get more interesting than they probably had to be, but still managed to earn themselves a 4-3 shootout victory over the Dallas Stars on Tuesday night. Here are this evening’s thumbs:

Thumbs Up: The Fourth Line… Again
That’s another game in which the fourth line did a bunch of good things for the Lightning. Beyond reasonably strong underlying numbers, the Mathieu Joseph, Pat Maroon, and Ross Colton trio was directly involved in this victory. They combined for a hard-working goal – Mathieu Joseph’s seventh of the season – to give the Bolts a 2-1 lead. If the Lightning can continue to get minutes like this out of its bottom line, that’s a big win for the organization.

Thumbs Up: Ross Colton Specifically
The fourth line as a whole was good, as mentioned above, but Ross Colton was particularly impressive. Per Natural Stat Trick, he generated a 92% five-on-five expected goal share. That was in addition to a nifty shootout goal that helped propel Tampa across the finish line. Even though Colton wasn’t a name that was on my radar prior to this season starting, the 2016 fourth-round pick has made a wonderful impression so far with the big club this year.

Thumbs Up: Power Play Puck Movement
The puck movement that led to Steven Stamkos’ third period power play goal was a great thing to see, especially after the man-advantage let the team down in their last game. When the Lightning’s top offensive players are clicking, they form a nearly unstoppable force. The lead up to that power play goal included numerous won puck battles, crisp passes, and plenty of movement. Dallas really didn’t have an answer.

Thumbs Up: Hedman’s 500th Career Point
With his assist on Stamkos’ goal, Victor Hedman has now tallied 500 points in his career. It’s a remarkable feat for any player, but especially for a defender. The best part is that there’s plenty more to come.

Thumbs Up: Cal Foote’s Play
While he didn’t show up on the scoresheet, Cal Foote looked really good out there tonight. He was involved in the play, generated opportunities by jumping up on the rush, and seemed to play “smart” hockey on most of his shifts. He hasn’t exactly been a fixture in Jon Cooper’s lineup this season, but the development trajectory is clear and positive. Given how weak the right side of Tampa’s defence is otherwise, they’ll likely need Foote to play a big part of any extended playoff run they hope to have this year.

Thumbs Down: Holding the Lead
Two goal lead. Two minutes left in the game. There’s no excuse for a game like this to have ended up in overtime. The Bolts were the better team during the game, and very deserving of a regulation victory. That didn't mean that taking their foot off the gas at the end was the right thing to do. It nearly cost them.

--

Now back atop the incredibly tight Central Division, the Lightning will take part in a pivotal contest against the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday.

As always, thanks for reading.

Join the Discussion: » 26 Comments » Post New Comment

» Steven Stamkos and the Olympics

» Steven Stamkos is Showing Hart

» Victor Hedman is Back

» Lightning, Predators Release Stadium Series Jerseys

» With Nothing Left to Prove, Lightning are Proving Something