Welcome to this version of Lightning Strikes, a collection that includes quotes and feedback from gamers, coaches, administration, journalists, and followers alike regarding the Tampa Bay Lightning. This ongoing column goals to seize a slice of the prevailing outlook, attitudes, and tradition surrounding the workforce.
The Lightning got here from their one-week break and picked up two victories over playoff-caliber groups. The primary win got here in opposition to the Winnipeg Jets, who went into the sport on Nov. 14 having received 15 of their first 16 video games to start out the season. Andrei Vasilevskiy picked up his three hundredth profession victory. The Lightning adopted that efficiency up with a 4-0 shutout of the New Jersey Devils.
Lightning Have fun Vasilevskiy’s 300 Wins
In defeating the Jets, Vasilevskiy turned the fortieth goaltender in league historical past to win 300 video games. He reached the milestone in 490 video games, the fewest in NHL historical past, 31 quicker than Jacques Plante. The workforce had a particular ceremony and handed him various items earlier than the sport in opposition to the Devils. After the sport, Vasilevskiy mentioned regaining his focus and what the glory meant.
“The workforce gave me a number of items earlier than the sport and crucial present is that they performed nice tonight in entrance of me they usually helped me out to get one other shutout. Too many items tonight!”
Lightning captain Victor Hedman offered the goalie with a custom-engraved luxurious watch. Staff proprietor Jeff Vinik offered the two-time Stanley Cup champion with a commemorative gold goalie stick. Staff mascot Thunderbug introduced out a mini gold stick for Vasilevskiy’s son, Lukas. The workforce additionally shared congratulatory messages from his brother, Aleksei, and his father, Andrei. Former teammates Ben Bishop, Vladislav Namestnikov, Alex Killorn, Mikhail Sergachev, and Steven Stamkos additionally congratulated the previous Vezina Trophy winner.
The 30-year-old Vasilevskiy owns an 8-5-1 document by way of 14 complete appearances in 2024-25, rating within the high 10 within the league (minimal seven video games performed) in shutouts (t-2nd; two), goals-against common (third; 2.15) and save proportion (seventh; .920) and was lately awarded the third star of the week by the NHL.
Hedman Happy With Final Two Victories
For the second straight sport, the Lightning went with an 11-forward, seven-defenseman look, giving them not solely an additional defender but additionally permitting head coach Jon Cooper to jumble his traces. With high heart Brayden Level lacking his fourth straight sport with a lower-body damage, Nick Paul and Jake Guentzel skated collectively, joined by Gage Goncalves on a line that was the Lightning’s best. The trio had an 8-3 shot-attempt edge when on the ice collectively and didn’t permit a shot on purpose in 7:31 of ice time. Cooper supplied his ideas concerning the workforce’s play of their final two victories.
“Whenever you’re getting contributions from all people–the identical ordinary suspects are up there with a pair factors and stuff like that–however it’s unfold across the D, it’s really good for morale.”
The Lightning hope to get a lift from Level’s return within the subsequent few days, because it’s believed he might play on the upcoming two-game highway journey in Pittsburgh on Tuesday and Columbus on Thursday. Level practiced with the workforce on Monday as Goncalves was despatched to Syracuse within the American Hockey League.
Protection Beginning to Step Up
Towards the Devils, the Lightning allowed simply 11 scoring possibilities (and 4 high-danger possibilities) throughout 5-on-5 play. They blocked 19 pictures, and 6 totally different gamers had a number of blocked pictures. The Lightning penalty kill went 4-for-4, blanking a Devils energy play that entered the night time ranked fourth within the league. Hedman talked concerning the workforce’s protection after the sport in opposition to the Devils.
“We labored on it (over the break) and put it into impact in our sport, so, that’s what we need to accomplish. You don’t know the place you stand coming off a six-day break, however clearly it was good for us to type of reset, nitpicking our sport and displaying the place we are able to enhance it.”
Going into the break, the Lightning ranked within the backside third of the league in penalty-kill effectivity, twenty first at 77.6% (after 15 video games final season, Tampa Bay ranked eighth). Nevertheless, of their final 4 video games, they’ve gone an ideal 12-for-12 when a person down.
Cooper on the “11-7”
Of their final two video games, the Lightning have rolled out a roster that featured 11 forwards and 7 blueliners. Within the last two video games, they opted for this look partly as a result of Level was out with a lower-body damage. Cooper talked concerning the reasoning for utilizing the “11-7” over a conventional lineup.
“Do this extra on the highway, however (it’s) simply the best way I believed we might make issues work. The blokes did a heck of a job and certainly makes you positively concentrate. It’s just a little totally different and more durable to roll the traces when you’ve got 11 forwards. For me, it has plenty of advantages. Additionally, for an opposing coach, it may be at occasions more durable to match a workforce that’s 11 and 7.”
Cooper went on to elucidate that the sport’s movement is barely totally different as a result of pairings are switched up just a little, which hurts just a little bit at occasions if you happen to’re actually a robust matcher of traces. Nevertheless, it additionally helps when you possibly can type of squeeze some gamers in and provides some guys some extra ice time. This may additionally give gamers offensive weapons, comparable to Kucherov, who has been within the NHL scoring race all season, extra time on the ice.
It will likely be attention-grabbing to see if the Lightning use this formation when Level returns.
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The Lightning will now head on their household journey for the 2024-25 season, a two-game highway journey that begins with a go to to Pittsburgh on Tuesday (Nov. 19) and ends in Columbus on Thursday (Nov. 21). Examine again subsequent week to see all of the quotes and feedback from the Lightning as they try to hold the momentum from their two-game win streak.
