This was a tightly contested game with both teams offense going on all cylinders. The Bolts could not stop the Wings offense but they kept theirs up and the PK came in huge at the end of the game. The Wings could just not stop the Bolts and could not capitalize on a huge power play at the end of the game and in overtime. Pasquale got his first NHL win tonight and he made some key saves down the stretch. Let’s take a look at how we got here period by period.

First Period

Both teams got off to a defensive start with both teams making it hard for each other to get any kind of shot or offense set up. The Wings then finally got something going as they hit Pasquale with shots from every angle, but Pasquale was ready for the challenge stopping everything thrown his way. Both teams played a very disciplined game as we would have no penalties called in the first half of the opening period. The Bolts then picked up a few chances but Howard was more than ready keeping this game tied at 0. The Wings then nearly had their best chance of the night but Dan Girardi had other ideas as he prevented a breakaway and then blocked a shot right in front. The Wings were ready with another flurry of shots with Pasquale still turning them away. The Bolts quickly responded with some chances of their own as the pace of this game really picked up. The Bolts would also find no such luck as Howard stopped them all including a little help from the crossbar. The Wings kept up the pressure and it would finally pay off as Nyquist put one past Pasquale with a great shot to make it 1-0 Wings. Things then didn’t get any better for the Bolts as just under 30 seconds later Johnson turned the puck over to Neilsen who was all alone in front of the net who made no mistake and put the Wings up 2-0. The period would then come to a close after a disappointing end to a tightly contested game with the Wings up 2-0.

Goals: 2-0 Detroit

Shots: 12-5 Detroit

Second Period

The Bolts got off to a decent start grabbing a few quick shots but could not sustain an offensive attack. The Bolts just kept on pushing though and it was the speedy Mathew Joseph who would fly into the zone and chop a puck over the shoulder of Howard to get the Bolts on the board! The Bolts continued with this new momentum to get some more shots off on Howard looking to tie this game. Surprisingly we had yet to see a penalty called in this one despite these two teams having a large history. With both teams playing disciplined the time kept on rolling as we went back and forth with the netminders not letting much past them. The Bolts then capitalized on a big mistake by the Wings as Howard was way out of position and gave the puck to Joseph who taped it into the back of the net to tie this game at 2! The Red Wings quickly responded though with 2 quick shots but Pasquale turned them away. The Wings weren’t done though as Neilsen sniped one into the back of the net to give the Wings a 3-2 lead. The Bolts did not let that stand for long though as Stamkos got past the Defence and sniped one of his own past, Howard, to tie this game at 3! Neilsen was having a great game and he would only continue that as he came in late on a play and blasted one past Pasquale to give the Wings a 1 goal lead once again. As time winded down we would finally see our first penalty of the game as Mike Green was called for interference. The Bolts picked up a few shots but time would soon expire with still over a minute to go on the power play.

Goals: 4-3 Detroit

Shots: 23-19 Tampa Bay

Third Period

The Bolts would start the period on the power play but could only pick up one shot in that time and the Wings would kill it off. Nyquist then grabbed an insurance marker for the Wings as he snapped one past Pasquale to make this a 2 goal game. Both teams then went back and forth picking up a few shots. Athanasiou then got in on a breakaway after a puck slipped past Killorn but was hooked and taken down. Killorn would get called for that hook but to many’s surprise, Athanasiou also was called for embellishment. Both teams grabbed some shots on the 4 on 4 but neither took advantage of the extra ice. The Bolts then put on a push of their own and when the Wings lost a player due to him not having his stick they took advantage. JT Miller rifled one into the pack of the net to pull the Bolts within 1 once again! With thing heating up and time winding down the tension was high. The Wings would then get a chance to add back to their lead with Callahan getting called for interference sending the Wings to the power play. This didn’t slow down the Bolts one bit though as the PK unit stole the puck and looked to grab a few chances of their own. It was the Paquette and Joseph who once again pressured the Wing and Paquette buried one home to TIE THIS GAME! The Bolts would then kill the rest of the penalty and get back to full strength. The Bolts grabbed a few more chances but Howard held them off with time winding down. The Wings would then get one last chance as Johnson was called for tripping late in the third. The PK continued to shine though and held the Wings off until the end of the third.

Goals: 5-5

Shots: 33-23 Tampa Bay

1. Mathieu Joseph (2G, 1A)
2. Cedric Paquette (1G)
3. Frans Nielsen (3G)

Up Next and Final Strike

The Bolts started down in this one because of some big defensive issues despite not playing terribly. However, the Bolts kept on pushing and came back to win this one. The Offence was fantastic as they just kept on rolling and the penalty kill was especially huge late in the third period. For Pasquale’s first NHL start this was a decent game for him with 2 goals not being his fault and he did come up big in the later parts of this game. The Bolts will look to fix some defensive issues moving forward but overall this was a great comeback from the Bolts coming off a back to back.

The Bolts will look to make it 5 in a row as they take on the Boston Bruins Thursday, December 6th at 7:30 PM in Amalie Arena.