Varlamov Stars in Tampa

In the first period Ryan Callahan (24) tries to jam the biscuit in but Colorado Avalanche goalie Semyon Varlamov makes one of his 34 saves. (Kim Klement / USA TODAY Sports)

The Tampa Bay Lightning open a two game home stand with the first of two match-ups against the Colorado Avalanche. The Lightning were 1-1-0 against the Avalanche in 2014-15, the win came here at what we affectionately call the “Oil Can” on January 17th, in a 3-2 shootout. Ben Bishop was the net minder and made 40 saves.

The Lightning currently have been held scoreless in 120 minutes and 17 seconds of game time. In the previous 2014-15 season, the Bolts were shutout just once during regular season. The Central Division opponents are making a strong start this 2015-16 season. Coming into tonight the Lightning is 1-2-2 against the Central Division so far and six of the Lightning’s first 11 games are against Central Division opponents.

Victor Hedman led the Lightning with 9 points going into tonight’s match-up against the Avalanche.  Captain Steven Stamkos is second among the team with 5 goals and 3 assists, however has not scored in four games now after tonight.

The Lightning have a lot of work to do to bring back the display of offensive fire power that led them to the Stanley Cup finals in 2014-15.

The Avalanche forward and former Lightning forward #40 Alex Tanguay is the first to light the lamp with an even strength goal that just slipped by Lightning goaltender Ben Bishop, with assists coming from #12 Jerome Iginla and #29 Nathan Mackinnon. It’s Alex Tanguay’s first goal of the season, which included some drama of a replay review.

Towards the close of the first period the crowd noise crescendos as Valteri Fillipula had a shorthanded breakaway to tie the game, but got stopped by Colorado’s goaltender #1 Semyon Varlamov that quickly quieted the Lightning fans. Both teams went to their perspective locker rooms at the end of 20 minutes of regulation with the Central Division Colorado Avalanche leading 1-0. The Avalanche lead in shots 10-9 and both teams were unable to capitalize on either of their two power plays.

In the opening minutes of the second period, Steven Stamkos made a beautiful center pass across the crease that Ryan Callahan was unable to tip in.   With the first 13 minutes of the second period being quite uneventful for either team aside from a penalty by Colorado forward #92 Gabriel Landeskog for slashing.

At 13:04 the Avalanche notched another goal,  their 2^nd of the game. Avalanche forward #29 Nathan McKinnon wrists one in the back side of the net behind Ben Bishop with the helpers coming from veteran forward #12 Jerome Iginla and yes that former Lightning #40 Alex Tanguay.

At 15:09 in the second period the Lightning go on a power play,  their fourth of the contest,  and FINALLY capitalize. YES a goal, finally, the horn sounds at the Oil Can after being held scoreless for 156 minutes and 3 seconds this year. And the fans, after a short hesitation to make sure it was not a mirage…celebrated.

At 15:46 Killorn scores a power play goal, his second goal of the season with assists from Hedman and Filipula.

Victor Hedman commits a holding penalty at 18:51, fortunately  the Bolts are able to shut down the Avalanche power play. The horn sounds at the end of the second period with the score Colorado Avalanche 2, Tampa Bay Lightning 1.

Here come the Bolts, in the first minute of the 3^rd Alex Killorn gets a breakaway and steams down the ice, but is stoned by Avalanche netminder Seymon Varlamoz (Sounds like a movie star). The opening minutes have become quite a show with the Tampa Bay Lightning committing three more almost back to back penalties. The crowd is alive once again, and it sounds like the fans have once again engaged in the watching of this production.

Things are heating up here at 401 Channelside Drive, the Lightning forwards have finally found their wheels and managed to get 28 shots off at the Colorado Avalanche goaltender Semyon Varlamov (there’s that Hollywood name again) with 10 minutes left of the game. With just 1:36 left to go in the game, the Lightning pull goalie Ben Bishop to get six attackers on the ice. Unfortunately, after a total of 35 shots on goal are unable to notch the tying goal.

The Lightning lose to the Colorado Avalanche 2-1. With the 3 stars of the game being #3 Jerome Iginla, #2 Alex Tanguay and your number one star Avalanche goaltender Semyon Varlamov. I just knew that guy was going to be famous !

The Lightning will face the Boston Bruins here at the Oil Can, a Halloween special,  on Saturday October 31 at 7:00 p.m. It will be the second game of this home stand, before they head back out on the road for four games.

STATS

COLORADO AVALANCHE SKATERS

NO.	PLAYER	POS	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	S	HITS	BKS	GVA	TKA	FO%	PP TOI	SH TOI	TOI
2	N. Holden	D	0	0	0	0	0	2	1	2	0	1	–	1:04	3:01	20:02
4	T. Barrie	D	0	0	0	1	0	3	0	0	0	0	–	6:00	0:15	18:36
5	N. Guenin	D	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	3	0	0	–	0:00	2:22	13:05
6	E. Johnson	D	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	2	0	0	–	4:46	3:36	24:06
7	J. Mitchell	C	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	67%	2:49	2:42	14:03
8	J. Skille	R	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	–	0:10	0:00	12:19
9	M. Duchene	C	0	0	0	0	2	2	1	1	1	0	50%	3:55	0:20	17:40
12	J. Iginla	R	0	2	2	2	0	6	0	1	0	2	–	6:05	0:00	19:48
14	B. Comeau	L	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0%	3:20	0:58	14:22
16	N. Zadorov	D	0	0	0	2	2	0	3	0	1	0	–	0:04	0:00	11:59
25	M. Grigorenko	C	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	–	0:50	0:00	7:55
29	N. MacKinnon	C	1	1	2	2	0	5	0	0	3	1	38%	7:04	1:35	20:46
32	F. Beauchemin	D	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	5	1	0	–	6:38	4:00	27:20
34	C. Soderberg	C	0	0	0	0	2	1	0	1	1	0	38%	6:03	3:45	19:03
40	A. Tanguay	L	1	1	2	2	0	1	0	1	0	0	–	5:47	1:29	20:04
45	D. Everberg	R	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	1	0	–	0:04	0:00	7:24
55	C. McLeod	L	0	0	0	0	0	3	3	0	0	0	–	0:00	0:57	8:44
92	G. Landeskog	L	0	0	0	0	2	1	1	0	0	0	–	4:01	1:28	16:07

COLORADO AVALANCHE GOALTENDERS

NO.	PLAYER	EV	PP	SH	SAVES – SHOTS	SV%	PIM	TOI
1	S. Varlamov (W) 2-3-1	21 – 21	8 – 9	5 – 5	34 – 35	.971	0	60:00

 

TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING SKATERS

NO.	PLAYER	POS	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	S	HITS	BKS	GVA	TKA	FO%	PP TOI	SH TOI	TOI
5	J. Garrison	D	0	0	0	-1	0	2	3	0	1	0	–	0:20	4:00	19:19
6	A. Stralman	D	0	0	0	0	2	2	3	0	0	0	–	2:53	3:42	21:31
9	T. Johnson	C	0	0	0	0	2	2	1	0	2	2	47%	3:09	1:56	15:39
11	B. Boyle	C	0	0	0	0	2	0	3	0	0	0	40%	0:00	4:47	13:21
17	A. Killorn	C	1	0	1	0	0	5	1	0	0	1	67%	3:26	0:22	18:59
18	O. Palat	L	0	0	0	-1	0	2	2	1	0	0	–	2:56	4:38	18:54
22	E. Condra	R	0	0	0	-1	0	0	0	1	1	1	–	0:00	3:54	10:59
23	J. Brown	R	0	0	0	-1	0	0	1	1	0	1	–	0:00	0:55	7:28
24	R. Callahan	R	0	0	0	0	0	4	2	0	2	0	100%	3:43	2:51	22:10
25	M. Carle	D	0	0	0	-1	2	1	3	1	1	0	–	0:20	2:33	18:15
42	J. Marchessault	C	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	–	0:00	0:00	7:50
51	V. Filppula	C	0	1	1	-2	2	2	1	0	1	0	77%	3:26	3:24	15:34
55	B. Coburn	D	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	1	0	0	–	0:00	5:25	16:28
62	A. Sustr	D	0	0	0	-1	0	0	0	0	0	0	–	0:00	4:02	15:31
77	V. Hedman	D	0	1	1	-1	2	7	0	1	0	0	–	3:24	3:30	22:27
86	N. Kucherov	R	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	–	3:09	0:00	13:25
90	V. Namestnikov	C	0	0	0	-1	0	2	0	0	0	0	33%	2:41	0:00	10:55
91	S. Stamkos	C	0	0	0	0	0	3	1	0	0	2	50%	3:38	0:41	21:00

TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING GOALTENDERS

NO.	PLAYER	EV	PP	SH	SAVES – SHOTS	SV%	PIM	TOI
30	B. Bishop (L) 5-4-1	15 – 17	9 – 9	0 – 0	24 – 26	.923	0	58:15