Killorn and Drouin Close Out Blues

Tampa, Fla. – The Tampa Bay Lightning and the St. Louis Blues finished their home and home series tonight at Amalie Arena.  The Blues won the first meeting in St. Louis 5-4 on December 1st. Andrei Vasilevskiy, who got the start in St. Louis , was pulled after he surrendered four goals.

Due to Ben Bishop’s injury on Tuesday night here vs. Detroit,  Vasilevskiy got the start tonight and is the heir apparent as starter to Ben Bishop.  Kristers Gudlevskis was called up from Syracuse to serve as back-up.

Tonight, the Andrei Vasilevskiy starting goalie era, 2016-17 version,  started inauspicious as the Blues jumped to a quick two goal lead but ended with a jubilant win.

The Blues scored two goals in the first period just thirty-one seconds apart and a bid to open the holiday home-stand (6 of 7 at home broken up with a quick trip to DC) with two wins took a nosedive for the Lightning.

It was at the 14:11 mark when Brayden Point turned the puck over right in front of Andrei Vasilevskiy to the Blues David Perron.  Perron beat Vasilevskiy much to the delight of the St. Louis fans who had a good showing sprinkled through-out Amalie Arena.   Point’s pass attempt was knocked down by Perron using the shaft of his stick as he then controlled it to score.

The Lightning didn’t even have time to catch their breath when Vasilevskiy gave up a rebound and at 14:43 and Wade Megan scored the second goal of the game to put the Blues up 2-0.  The assist to Ryan Reaves.  It was Megan’s first goal of the season and his NHL career.  Megan who was born in the small Village of Canton, NY which is a stone’s throw across the St. Lawrence River from the Great White North.

Entering the second period the Lightning came out listless behind their two-goal deficit.  And then… Midway through the period, on the power play, Brian Boyle redirected one past Jake Allen the Blues’ net-minder.  Victor Hedman took the shot from the center point and Boyle softly angled the puck past Allen.  It was Boyle’s eighth goal of the season with the secondary assist going to Jonathan Drouin.   This brought much needed life to the “Oil Can” and the Lightning team.  It seemed like a six goal deficit was cut in half.

As the second wound down the game was more evenly played and there was a sense the Lightning were in the game.  Then at 17:27 Michael Bournival tipped a Jason Garrison shot past Allen.  It was Bournival’s first goal of the season.

A little over five minutes into the third Anton Stralman made an elusive, forward like move in the offensive zone and feed a pass out high on the tape of Alex Killorn’s stick.  Killorn patiently waited, found a shooting lane a delivered.  Three unanswered goals to give the Lightning their first lead of the game.

With the score 3-2 and the home team on top a State Farm goal was delivered by Jonathan Drouin with 1:40 left with a jock dropping move on Jake Allen.  The goal sent the “Oil Can” into a frenzy.

Then later a chance to showoff, Drouin showcased his speed with :31 left as he added an athletic empty netter.  He not only outraced Blues defenseman Brad Hunt but came from behind to race by him.

The Lightning move to 17-14-3 and 37 points on the season.  The Lightning head to Washington tonight to play the Capitals tomorrow night then home for the holidays Wednesday with Montreal, Thursday with Toronto and Saturday New Year’s Eve with Carolina.

Don’t forgot to tune into the show Monday 1pm – 4pm ET as the The Hockey Hottie will be there with me.

 RocketSportsEnt

1st Period Summary
Time	Team	Scoring Detail	STL	TB
14:11		David Perron (9) Unassisted	1	0
14:43		Wade Megan (1) Assists: Ryan Reaves, Joel Edmundson	2	0
Time	Team	Penalty Detail
4:30		Robby Fabbri: 2 Minutes for Hooking
2nd Period Summary
Time	Team	Scoring Detail	STL	TB
9:48		Brian Boyle (8) (Power Play) Assists: Victor Hedman, Jonathan Drouin	2	1
17:27		Michael Bournival (1) Assists: Jason Garrison, J.T. Brown	2	2
Time	Team	Penalty Detail
2:39		Tanner Richard: 2 Minutes for Hooking
4:32		Valtteri Filppula: 2 Minutes for Hooking
4:32		Robby Fabbri: 2 Minutes for Unsportsmanlike Conduct
9:00		Ryan Reaves: 2 Minutes for Interference
3rd Period Summary
Time	Team	Scoring Detail	STL	TB
5:25		Alex Killorn (11) Assists: Anton Stralman, Victor Hedman	2	3
18:20		Jonathan Drouin (9) Assists: Valtteri Filppula, Anton Stralman	2	4
19:29		Jonathan Drouin (10) Assists: Victor Hedman, Valtteri Filppula	2	5
Time	Team	Penalty Detail
No penalties this period