Guentzel, Johansson Lead the Way as Bolts Follow Familiar Formula to Victory

Photo Credit: Alyssa Shimko | Thunderstruck Sports

The Lightning are making a habit of this... and it's a risky one. Slow starts have become part of the equation, but so has their ability to take over late. That pattern held again today, as Tampa Bay leaned on a dominant final forty minutes, a three-point night from Jake Guentzel, and a steady performance from Jonas Johansson to defeat the Nashville Predators 3-2. With the win, the Bolts extended their point streak to eight games and climbed back into the top spot in the Atlantic Division.

Need a New Starting Formula

The Lightning have been picking up points of late. In fact, they came into today on a seven-game point streak, going 5-0-2. But despite the success in points, there was a notable area that needed cleaning up. In the previous four games, they'd trailed after the first period. They wanted to break that trend. They wanted to start on time and play a full 60 minutes.

Unfortunately, today was not the day for that! Nikita Kucherov was out again this evening due to illness, but Nick Paul did return to the lineup. Jonas Johansson got the start in net. If the Lightning had come up with a plan to solve their early-game woes, they definitely need to rethink that plan! It was all Nashville in period one. The Bolts did not even muster a shot for the first seventeen minutes or so. Stats for the first period favored the Predators in virtually every category. They led 10-1 in shots, 20-10 in shot attempts, 10-2 in face-off wins, 5-1 in high-danger chances, 73% to 27% in puck battle win percentage, and 3:02 to 1:27 in offensive zone possession time. The one positive for the Lightning was that, despite being badly outplayed, they were not trailing after the first period. The game was scoreless.

Following the Formula

Although the Lightning hadn’t wanted to follow their recent early game formula today, they likely did want to follow their familiar formula for the final 40 minutes. It did not look overly promising in the opening moments of the second. Nashville continued to have some jump in their step. But slowly, the Bolts started getting their game in order. At 8:31, the Predators opened the scoring on the first career goal for Joakim Kemell. It wasn’t just the puck that went into the net for him—it was his entire body as he was pushed into the net while trying to get his shot off.

Five minutes later, the Lightning would strike! Jake Guentzel notched his 35^th of the season to extend his goal streak to four straight games and to tie the game at a goal apiece.

Winning Formula for the Third

For the fourth straight game of this home-stand, the Lightning went into the third period deadlocked with their opponent. The previous three had all resulted in points, two wins, and one overtime loss.

The Lightning team that took the ice for the third period tonight looked totally different from the Lightning team from the first period. They were fast. They were winning puck battles and shooting. At 4:33, their efforts were rewarded. Brandon Hagel snapped his 35^th of the season past Justus Annunen to give Tampa Bay a lead.

Unfortunately, it was a very short-lived lead, as Nashville tied it on the next shift. Filip Forsberg made it 2-2 just 20 seconds later. But the Bolts pressed forward with their third-period formula. Two minutes later, Corey Perry scored his 15^th of the season to put the Lightning in front 3-2. Guentzel got the assist for his third point of the game.

This time, the lead stuck. The Bolts’ defense slammed the door on the Predators for the remainder of the game. Nashville desperately wanted to pull Annunen for the extra attacker in the dying moments, but the Bolts relentlessly held the puck in the offensive zone. The Predators finally pulled their goalie with just under a minute remaining, but still could not break through.

Another third period win for the boys in blue-- but the bigger story is becoming clear. The Lightning are finding ways to win, even when they don't start well. It's a formula that's working right now, but one that will be tested if those early-game struggles continue.

Standings Update

The Bolts are now 6-0-2 in their last eight games. They have 98 points in 73 games. Two other teams in the Eastern Conference also have 98 points. The Carolina Hurricanes have 98 points in 73 games but only 33 regulation wins, compared to 37 by Tampa Bay and Buffalo. Buffalo has scored 98 points in 74 games. Currently, the Lightning are the top seed in the conference.

Three Stars

1. Jake Guentzel: 1 goal, 2 assists to lead the team to victory

2. Jonas Johansson: stopped 29 of 31 shots (.935 save percentage) and kept his team in this one when they struggled.

3. Brandon Hagel: 1 goal and was a force on the ice all game

   
   

Up Next

The Lightning face off against one of the teams chasing them in the Atlantic division, the Montreal Canadiens, at Benchmark International in game five of this seven-game home-stand. Start time is scheduled for 7 pm.