Kuch! One-Time!

By on February 27, 2017

Tampa, Fla. — With Ben Bishop off to the left coast and the ink still wet on the Brian Boyle deal that moved the fan favorite to the Great White North (Toronto eh),  the Lightning needed to focus on the Ottawa Senators.

On a second period natural hat-trick by Nikita Kucherov and Andrei Vasilevskiy standing on his cranium making 39 saves, the building was jumping in the second and the Lightning slim playoff hopes stayed alive.  All three of Kucherov’s second period goals came on the power play, one-timers from the right circle… almost instant replays.

But in the first,  if getting off to good start was a key to preserving the playoff life of the Bolts, it would not start well as it looked like the Lightning were on the second game of a back to back. Although a good early chance by Nikita Kucherov was there,  it was all Sens.  Maybe the Kucherov chance should have foreshadowed the second period free for all.

As the second period rolled out it looked like the Lightning have a leg up on the team in their barn on the second game of a back to back.  The Kucherov show had an opening act as Brayden Point wristed one top shelf to get the turn around started.  A no-no no-look clearing attempt by Zach Smith from the corner put it right on the stick of Point who did not waste.

Vasilevskiy was under seige from the opening puck drop when the Senators came flying out of the door literally “peppering,” for lack of a better phase, Andrei Vasilevskiy.  Like a shooting gallery ripping shots.  The Senators that played last night at Florida looked like the team not on the back to back.

Then to add to fire, penalties to Kucherov and then :47 later to Braydon Coburn gave the Senators a 1:13 5 on 3.  Lightning killer, aka Kyle Turris blasted one by Vasilevskiy with :13 left in the 5 on 3.

The first ended with Ottawa up 1-0 which could have been a lot worse as the many of the 14 shots Vasilevskiy stopped were tough ones.

Whatever transpired in the Lightning locker-room during the first intermission led the ice to flipped in the second and the Kucherov heroics were on.

If tonight’s game does nothing else but keep the post Bishop/Boyle days playoff alive it’s a reason for short celebration as the Carolina Hurricanes will be a the arena Wednesday as March hockey faces off. Note a special 7pm start time.

Player Summary

Ottawa Senators

Time On Ice Faceoffs
Player G A +/- SOG MS BS PN PIM HT TK GV SHF TOT PP SH EV FW FL %
M. Blunden RW 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 4 1 0 0 10 6:37 0:00 0:00 6:37 0 0 00.0
M. Borowiecki D 0 0 -1 1 0 1 1 5 2 1 0 26 13:27 0:00 2:20 11:07 0 0 00.0
D. Brassard C 0 0 -1 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 30 20:52 3:56 1:42 15:14 11 10 52.4
C. Ceci D 0 0 -1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 31 20:48 0:30 4:45 15:33 0 0 00.0
R. Dzingel C 0 0 -2 4 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 22 14:54 0:54 1:41 12:19 2 7 22.2
M. Hoffman LW 0 1 -1 5 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 27 20:34 4:35 0:39 15:20 1 3 25.0
E. Karlsson D 0 1 -1 4 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 33 26:40 4:30 2:22 19:48 0 0 00.0
C. Kelly C 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 16 10:24 0:06 2:21 7:57 1 0 100.0
M. Methot D 0 0 -1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 30 17:46 0:00 3:36 14:10 0 0 00.0
J. Pageau C 0 0 0 3 1 1 0 0 2 0 0 24 15:32 2:09 3:46 9:37 9 6 60.0
D. Phaneuf D 0 0 0 4 0 1 2 12 1 0 0 31 21:31 2:23 1:51 17:17 0 0 00.0
T. Pyatt C 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 2 0 1 0 24 15:11 0:06 2:32 12:33 0 0 00.0
Z. Smith C 0 0 -1 2 1 1 2 4 2 0 1 28 17:42 2:50 2:53 11:59 6 3 66.7
M. Stone RW 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 27 19:00 4:36 1:28 12:56 0 1 00.0
K. Turris C 1 0 -1 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 25 19:26 4:11 0:34 14:41 0 0 00.0
P. Varone C 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 20 12:06 1:12 1:50 9:04 4 0 100.0
C. Wideman D 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 7 0 0 0 23 13:58 1:51 0:00 12:07 0 0 00.0
T. Wingels C 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 17 10:54 0:06 0:17 10:31 2 1 66.7

Ottawa Senators Scratches

Player Detail
C. Lazar Upper Body
F. Claesson Scratched
A. Burrows Scratched

Tampa Bay Lightning

Time On Ice Faceoffs
Player G A +/- SOG MS BS PN PIM HT TK GV SHF TOT PP SH EV FW FL %
J. Brown RW 0 0 0 3 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 16 10:03 1:44 1:16 7:03 0 0 00.0
B. Coburn D 1 0 2 2 1 2 3 9 1 0 0 22 14:49 1:13 1:55 11:41 0 0 00.0
J. Dotchin D 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 1 0 20 16:56 2:01 0:00 14:55 0 0 00.0
J. Drouin LW 0 3 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 22 15:41 3:47 0:00 11:54 1 1 50.0
G. Dumont C 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 7 2 0 0 10 5:50 0:00 0:00 5:50 1 2 33.3
A. Erne LW 0 0 0 3 0 0 1 2 1 2 0 22 13:33 1:27 0:00 12:06 0 0 00.0
V. Filppula C 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 26 17:32 1:01 2:50 13:41 9 15 37.5
J. Garrison D 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 1 28 22:27 1:32 2:25 18:30 0 0 00.0
V. Hedman D 0 2 0 3 2 1 0 0 2 0 0 27 23:21 4:25 2:57 15:59 0 0 00.0
T. Johnson C 0 2 1 4 2 0 0 0 0 1 1 24 20:01 3:53 2:41 13:27 15 6 71.4
A. Killorn C 0 0 1 4 0 0 0 0 2 1 1 24 16:59 1:42 2:56 12:21 0 0 00.0
N. Kucherov RW 3 1 1 7 4 1 1 2 0 1 1 21 17:27 3:53 0:00 13:34 0 0 00.0
V. Namestnikov C 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 21 13:46 1:15 0:03 12:28 0 1 00.0
O. Palat LW 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 25 20:24 3:53 2:32 13:59 0 0 00.0
C. Paquette C 0 0 0 2 0 0 4 16 1 0 0 13 6:57 0:00 1:16 5:41 1 4 20.0
B. Point C 1 0 1 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 21 15:11 2:24 0:00 12:47 4 7 36.4
A. Stralman D 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 3 0 0 27 22:23 1:52 3:32 16:59 0 0 00.0
A. Sustr D 0 0 2 1 0 1 1 2 1 1 2 24 16:53 1:13 1:45 13:55 0 0 00.0

Tampa Bay Lightning Scratches

Player Detail
Y. Gourde Scratched
G. Mckegg Scratched
L. Witkowski Scratched

Goaltending Summary

Ottawa Senators Goaltending

Player SA GA Saves SV% TOI PIM
M. Condon 34 5 29 .853 60:00 0

Tampa Bay Lightning Goaltending

Player SA GA Saves SV% TOI PIM
A. Vasilevskiy 40 1 39 .975 60:00 0
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