Tampa, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Lightning faced off earlier this evening against defending Stanley Cup Champions Pittsburgh Penguins. It was a sell out crowd at Amalie Arena on Thursday night, the Penguin fans were easy to spot with their bumble bee yellow and black colors, and of course the terrible towel. I thought that was a football thing? Is Pittsburgh the only city that has all three professional sports teams dressed like bumble bees? Might I add they are pretty obnoxious too, but that’s for another story.
It was Andrei Vasilevskiy in the crease for the Lightning, Vasilevskiy has been stellar so far this season, being tested with an already 110 shots in just 3 games, allowing 11 goals.
For the first time this season the Lightning left the ice in the first period with a higher shots on goal count than their opponent 16-12. Slater Koekkoek (now maybe Koekkoek will get more than 5 minutes ice time) scored his first career goal at 6:07 in the first, with an assist from Anton Stralman. That’s a defensive goal and the Lightning never trailed.
The defending Stanley Cup Champions took no time putting on some offensive pressure in the Lightnings zone, and successfully scored their first goal of the game at 13:26. Compliments of Jake Guentzel, with the help coming from Kris Letang and Bryan Rust. With the score tied 1-1, the Penguins managed to get another puck past the crease of Vasilevskiy, but it was quickly waived off. Insert obnoxious fans here.
In true offensive domination by the Lightnings defensemen, Victor Hedman blasted one by Antti Niemi of the Penguins right at the end of the first period 19:59, for their second goal of the game. Special teams and scoring defenseman. Now if they could just keep the puck out of their net for the next two periods, they would seal up another win. Back check, back check.
Quickly in the second period at 3:37, on their second power play Lightning Captain Steven Stamkos wrists one past Niemi. His first goal of the season, and it’s “Hammer time.” What an matchup, as each team answered the other with a goal. Connor Sheary for the Penguins from Ruwedel and Niemi, then Kucherov for the Lightning from Coburn and Killorn. The Pens scored their first power play goal of the game at 14:24 Bryan Rust from Guentzel and Maata.
The second period came to a close with Slater Koekkoek beaming brighter than the goal lamp, he scored his second career goal at 17:55 , in an offensive rush that looked like a drill in practice. Killorn and Johnson got the assists. The Lightning were on fire.
The fast paced action continued in the third period with a lot of shots going wide of the net on both sides of the ice. By far the most exciting game boys in blue have played this year. Perhaps they finally found their confidence, or both of these teams play a similar style of skate fast and shoot most hockey.
The Penguins Matt Hunwick scored the Penguins fourth goal to cut the lead to one just over the halfway mark of the final period with the help of Kessel and McKegg. And that’s as close as the Pens would get as the Lightning were able to close the game out for the 5-4 win to improve to 3-1 on the year.
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