Vasy Shuts the Door as Bolts leave Dallas With a Win

By: John Gianfrancesco

Overview

The Lightning followed up their 5-1 loss to the Islanders with a 2-0 win against the Stars. While the score card signals dominance, the play surely did not. Vasy was perfect however the Bolts were not. A win is a win but this one wasn’t a good one by Lightning standards. Martel, Erne and Cernak were scratched.

1st Period

The first 10 minutes of the game had a playoff feel to it. Dallas were finishing their checks and the Lightning were forechecking hard. Up and down action paced the period with Dallas leading in overall attack. The Lightning would take the lead after a passing sequence between Coburn, Gourde and Stamkos, saw Stammer skate into the Dallas zone, weave between 3 defenders and feed a wide open Palat who one timed it past Khudobin for a 1-0 lead. Bolts would carry that into the break.

2nd Period

Dallas controlled the 2nd period as the Lightning went on the penalty kill for most of the period it seemed. Hedman would be called for holding and received 2 mins for unsportsmanlike for arguing the call. During the same PK, Cirelli would trip a Stars player only to have it equalled out by Jamie Benn interfering with Vasilevskiy during a net front battle. Soon after, Kucherov lost a puck at the Stars blue line and interfered with Radek Faksa which gave Dallas another power play. The Lightning would kill off the 4 minute power play, a brief 5 on 3 & another man advantage and Vasy and the PK unit stifled many, many chances.

3rd Period

More of the same in the 3rd as Stamkos tripped Klingberg and later on Joseph would trip a Stars player while one the forecheck. During the Joseph PK, Paquette would be tripped by Jamie Benn during an odd man rush to negate the man advantage. Vasilevskiy would then be called for tripping as Benn skated through the crease on a forecheck and tripped over Vasilevskiy’s skate. Bolts with another PK and they did not break. Midway through the period, Cirelli would win a draw back to Sergachev who would snap a wrist shot over the glove of Khudobin for a 2-0 lead. Dallas would get called for too many men and boarding in the final 2 minutes which helped seal the 2-0 victory.

Summary

The Bolts gifted Dallas 6 power plays but in the end, Vasy slammed the door and the PK came up big. Bolts didn’t have much offense aside from a few extended shifts. Lightning blocked 18 shots in a rather surprisingly good defensive performance. Surely the Bolts will look to do a 180 in effort Thursday vs Toronto back at Amalie Arena. Go Bolts!