Lightning Win The Motown Matinee

It was a 12 noon game for the Tampa Bay Lightning today in Detroit against the Red Wings. This Motowin Matinee didn't look like much at the beginning of the season but as Detroit has been one of the surprise teams in the division, this game has taken on more importance for the Bolts. This game is also the first of three games over the next four days for the Lightning on the road that puts more emphasis on getting the two points today.

Andre Vasilevskiy gets the start for the Lightning and old veteran John Gibson is in net for the Wings. Both teams have different things to prove. Lightning want to avenge an early season loss and the Wings need this game to prove they belong among the division leaders.

The first period felt like a championship boxing match. The Lightning started things off by dominating the Wings in their zone and getting several good looks at Gibson. Then the Wings responded with some pressure of their own. They rang a shot off the posts that could be heard all the way in Tampa. Detroit's pressure soon manifested into a goal by J.T. Compher. Opening the scoring at 11:29 of the first period.

The crowd and the momentum were now clearly in Detroit's corner. Picking themselves up, the Lightning got it together enough to at least fight back. It started with turning the Wings away in the Lightning zone. Preventing long and tiring offensive time for Detroit, the Lightning began to find some space when they possessed the puck.

During this Bolts offensive burst, Jake Gunetzel drew a slashing penalty from Alex DeBrincat giving the Lightning a power play. They wasted no time as Darren Raddysh blasted the puck past Gibson from the high slot. This game was now tied at one.

The Middle Round

Hard to expect the frenetic pace of the first period to continue in the second. This is why we love this game. Just when you think you have something figured out, the game changes on a dime. In the first 34 seconds of the period, the Lightning broke the 1-1 tie.

Nick Paul lifted the puck out of the Lightning zone and the errant puck hit Olver Bjokstrand and bounced into Detroit's zone. Gage Goncalves has a Red Wing player between him and the puck. Goncalves hustled, lifted the stick of the defenseman, grabbed the puck and slid it past Gbson's five hole.

A little more than two minutes later, Yanni Gourde joined the score sheet. Standing right in front of the net, he took a couple swiped at a rebound and got himself a gritty goal. Gourde might be one of the smaller players in size but you cannot measure the heart of this guy. Gourde's goal gave the Lightning a two goal lead, 3 - 1.

Twelve seconds later, Detroit's Michael Rasmussen snapped the puck past Vasilevskiy to make it a one goal game, 3 - 2 Lightning. After that flurry of goals in less than three minutes. the game returned to a replication of the first period. Still playing at a frenzied pace but no scoring.

That is until the last three or so minutes of the period. Gourde scores his second goal of the period to give the Lightning a two goal lead at 4 - 2. A little over a minute later, Dylan Larkin snapped a shot past Vasilevskiy to cut the Lightning lead to 4 - 3. This is how the second period ended.

Answer The Bell

Heading into the final regulation period with a one goal lead as the Lightning did is a tenuous position in today's NHL. Both teams are fighting for the game's two points. The crowd favors the Red Wings. Tampa had to figure that Detroit was gong to empty the tank and throw the kitchen sink at them.

The Red Wings did just that. They came. They cycled the puck. They got their looks and worked for scoring opportunities. Still, the Lightning didn't buckle. Vasilevskiy was playing his fool head off. Don't forget. the Wings have some legit NHL scorers on this team. Larkin has already scored but they also have DeBrincat and Patrick Kane.

Halfway through the period and the Lightning as a group were holding steady. Getting the puck out of their zone, playing smart for the line changes. Then the big names came through for the road team. Jake Guentzel tipped in a blast from Raddysh to give the Lightning a two goal lead at 5 - 3 with about seven minutes remaining.

When there was 3:15 seconds left in the period, Detroit pulled Gbson for the extra man. It didn't take long for Brandon Hagel to work his way with the puck to Detroit's zone and he potted an empty netter to give us the final score of 6 - 3. Big divisional game in loaded road trip and the Lightning earned the two points today.

Three Stars

1. Darren Raddyh - 1 goal and 2 assists while leading the time in ice time with 24:04

2. Yanni Gourde - 2 goals and when Gourde is Good, so are the Bolts

3. Jake Guentzel - 1 goal and 1 assist

What's Next

Lightning play the New York Rangers in Madison Square Garden. Puck drops at 2:00 pm.