Tampa, Fla. — As we discussed today on the show with my “matrix,” the Lightning entered tonight on playoff chance life support. To get another oxygen tank I thought two points was not only a hope, but a need.
With both goalies, the Lightning’s Andrei Vasilevskiy and the Rangers’ Antti Raanta, doing their best Barnum and Bailey impressions with circus save after circus save, it came down to a careless Victor Hedman pass that lead to an overtime break-away for Mika Zibanejad. Zibanejad rifled it past the, up to this point, flawless Andrei Vasilevskiy. The visiting Rangers fans, whom were vocal all night including some tacky only New Yorker cat calls during the National Anthem, elated into delirium and the Rangers grab the extra point.
A game that much resembled a playoff atmosphere, 72 total shots, 71 saves, broading, roughing, cross-checking, kneeing, slashing, holding the stick and a good old fashioned lengthy man on man fight. Tanner Glass and Luke Witkowski squared off in the center circle which seemed like an old school 12 round slug-fest that brought everyone to their feet at 6:34 of the first. The fight that set the tone for a script of a 0-0 regulation that did not disappoint.
“That game had it all,” said Lightning coach Jon Cooper after the game. And he said of Witkowski, “What I liked is his energy.” Witkowski even played some shifts on forward. As for Glass, his first NHL game of the year and he did not waste time getting into fisticuffs.
With 17 games left to go, and teams ahead of the Lightning AND only one point tonight, it looks bleak.
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