Tampa Bay Lightning fans had quite a few reasons to smile over the weekend. After another home defeat, 3-2 against the Chicago Blackhawks, some wondered if Lightning head coach Jon Cooper was on the hot seat. The team’s leaders underperformed all over the ice; the puck couldn’t get out of the defensive zone and the Lightning had to chase the Blackhawks the entire evening.
Suddenly, veteran Ryan McDonagh turned into the most productive player on the roster with two goals and an assist in two games. On Thursday, he scored an equalizer (2-2) after an incredible pass from Nikita Kucherov. It was point #999 for Kuch. There was hope, but the Lightning spent the third period on holding and high-sticking penalties, eventually allowing a crucial goal 54 seconds before the final siren. Ryan Donato, who skated in Tampa with local skills coaches over the summer, accelerated with the puck to log his second goal of the game.
Kucherov had extra motivation coming into the weekend, but he wasn’t alone. Charle-Edouard D’Astous made his NHL debut on the third defensive pairing with Emil Lilleberg. He ended up with one shot, -1, and 24 shifts. Brandon Hagel co-produced two goals on the night, reaching 300 points in his 8-year NHL run. The Lightning captain, Victor Hedman, assisted on both of Anthony Cirelli’s goals to achieve the 800-point mark. But the one who received the standing ovation was Kucherov, who broke a significant milestone: 1,000 points in the NHL. He is expected to receive a signature hockey stick from the Heritage Stick Company.
The Anaheim Ducks challenged the Bolts in every corner battle, but at the end of the day, team effort finally paid off. Despite the shortcomings, the Lightning had their first home win (4-3).
In less than 24 hours, the Vegas Golden Knights visited the Lightning at Benchmark International Arena. While the scoring was low (2-1 Lightning) and penalties were high (4-5), only the outcome mattered. The home team moved up from last place in the Eastern Conference to 14th. Three other teams share the same number of points (8): 13th Columbus Blue Jackets, 15th New York Rangers, and 16th Boston Bruins.
It’s not the best result, but the Bolts will have to take it step by step and focus on their obstacles.