Smashville Night at Amalie

(Reinhold Matay / USA TODAY Sports)

Tampa, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Lightning met the Nashville Predators earlier this evening for the second and final time this season. The Predators won the last contest the two teams played 3-1 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.

Tonight, at the end of the first period the Predators were ahead 1-0. Mike Fisher managed to tip in a cross ice feed from Ryan Johansen just at the 2:25 minute mark in the first period. Unfortunately for the Lightning fans, we’ve seen this episode one too many times this season. The opposing team takes an early lead.

JT Brown managed to stir up the crowd and hopefully his team mates towards the end of the first period, as he squared off with Autsin Watson of the Predators to earn a fighting major and roughing minor. Brown made an early trip to the locker room as the fans crossed their fingers that it was enough to rally the troops.

The teams took to the ice for the second period and at just 3:56 in Filip Forsberg wristed one in the back of the net with the help of Ryan Johansen and Kevin Fiala. Ryan Johansen was hot, that was his second assist of the game.

The Lightning quickly answered back to cut the lead to one as Tyler Johnson racked up his twelfth goal of the season, with the assist from Victor Hedman and Alex Killorn. Johnnie B Good rang through the arena and the crowd suddenly came to life.

Nashville took care of the excitement by lighting the lamp two more times prior to the end of the second period to put the Predators ahead by three.

Nashville’s fourth goal was by Ryan Ellis an it was a controversial one. It was originally called no goal for goalie interference, but then reviewed by the officials on their little tablet and the call was reversed, goal Nashville. If that weren’t enough Coach Jon Cooper challenged the goal with an off sides review. It was ruled inconclusive and the goal counted. The score was now 4-1.

The Lightning would have twenty more minutes of play to try and make a come back. The most eventful part of the third period was a little four on four play compliments of matching slashing penalties exchanged by Jonathan Drouin and Mattias Ekholm. The Lightning pulled Vasilevskiy to add a fifth skater. With just 17 seconds left on the four on four, Alex Killorn and Austin Watson received matching two minute roughing penalties. This allowed the four on four to continue for two more minutes, as the Lightning continued with and empty net and five skaters.

The game plan backfired as the Predators easily scored their fifth goal. It was all of a sudden a mass exodus by the Lightning fans with six minutes left to go in the third period.

The game ended with an almost empty arena, the Predators scored an uneventful sixth goal. The score was 6-1 Nashville.  In the post game press conference Cooper said “We defended, we worked, seventy shot attempts at the net.  We held them to something like 35.  They had 24 blocked shots, that’s alot.”  About Vasilevskiy,  “He’s  a young goaltender in this league, your not always gonna have your A game every night.”

1st Period Summary
Time	Team	Scoring Detail	NSH	TB
2:25		Mike Fisher (11) (Power Play) Assists: Ryan Johansen, Mattias Ekholm	1	0
Time	Team	Penalty Detail
1:37		Tyler Johnson: 2 Minutes for Slashing Ryan Ellis
4:16		Harry Zolnierczyk: 2 Minutes for High-sticking Anton Stralman
14:32		2 Minute Bench Penalty for Too Many Men on the Ice (Served by Kevin Fiala)
17:12		J.T. Brown: 5 Minute Major for Fighting Austin Watson
17:12		Austin Watson: 5 Minute Major for Fighting J.T. Brown
17:12		J.T. Brown: 2 Minutes for Roughing Austin Watson (Served by Jonathan Drouin)
2nd Period Summary
Time	Team	Scoring Detail	NSH	TB
3:56		Filip Forsberg (9) Assists: Kevin Fiala, Ryan Johansen	2	0
6:12		Tyler Johnson (12) (Power Play) Assists: Victor Hedman, Alex Killorn	2	1
13:21		Colton Sissons (3) Assist: Mike Fisher	3	1
14:04		Ryan Ellis (5) Assists: Colin Wilson, Viktor Arvidsson	4	1
Time	Team	Penalty Detail
4:42		Matt Irwin: 2 Minutes for Tripping Ryan Callahan
7:49		Anthony Bitetto: 2 Minutes for Hooking Nikita Kucherov
15:46		Ryan Callahan: 2 Minutes for Interference of Harry Zolnierczyk
3rd Period Summary
Time	Team	Scoring Detail	NSH	TB
14:02		Colton Sissons (4) (Empty Net) Assist: Calle Jarnkrok	5	1
17:00		Colton Sissons (5) Assists: Anthony Bitetto, Calle Jarnkrok	6	1
Time	Team	Penalty Detail
12:10		Jonathan Drouin: 2 Minutes for Slashing Mattias Ekholm
12:10		Mattias Ekholm: 2 Minutes for Slashing Jonathan Drouin
13:53		Austin Watson: 2 Minutes for Roughing Alex Killorn
13:53		Alex Killorn: 2 Minutes for Roughing Austin Watson