Carter Verhaeghe’s fifth career overtime goal proved to be the difference as the Florida Panthers defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 to take a two-games-to-none lead in their series. Goals from Brayden Point and Steven Stamkos tied the game in the second period and then the goaltenders stole the show from there. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 21 of 23 while Andrei Vasilevskiy made 34 saves on 37 shots.
[Game Center] [Natural Stat Trick] [Lines] [Event Summary]
First Period
In Game One, the Panthers came out with a strong forecheck and knocked the Lightning off of their game before fans could finish their first beers. That’s something the Bolts wanted to avoid in their second match-up, and honestly, for the first five minutes they did. Most of the play was in the Panthers’ zone. Unfortunately, much like in Game One, offensive zone time didn’t mean much as shots weren’t getting through to the net.
For most of the first period the Lightning had one shot that registered on net, a quick shot from Mikey Eyssimont (who also had the first shot in Game One) from the side of the net. By the end of the period they had only sent three in the direction of the net that Bobrovsky had to stop. And he stopped all of them.
Meanwhile, the Florida offense took advantage of one of their rare early incursions into the Lightning zone. Sam Bennett was able to sneak past Emil Lilleberg along the wall and behind the net. He threw the puck in front to Matthew Tkachuk whose shot was stopped, but Brandon Hagel’s backcheck was a little too aggressive as he shoved the Panther forward into Vasilevskiy. He was knocked off balance and Bennett was able to tuck the rebound home for the early lead.
Sam Bennett (1) [Matthew Tkachuk (2), Carter Verhaeghe (1)] 1-0 Florida
Coach Cooper challenged for goaltender interference to no avail. The Lightning killed the penalty, but momentum seemed to be building for the Panthers. A Lightning power play came close to scoring, but Steven Stamkos’ rocket went off of the far post with a loud CLANG and cleared the zone.
As Florida built up their chances (they finished with 11 scoring chances) and shot attempts (23) it felt like only a matter of time until they would double their lead. On their second power play Hagel had to make a nice backcheck to keep Vladimir Tarasenko from a back-door tap-in and Vasilevskiy kicked out his pad to stop Bennett on an open chance.
Tarasenko got a second chance later in the power play after Bennett dug a puck out from under Vasilevskiy’s pads and fed an uncovered Tarasenko who put it home for his first goal of the postseason.
Vladimir Tarasenko (1) [Sam Bennett (1), Oliver Ekman-Larsson (1)] Power Play, 2-0 Florida
Unlike in the first meeting, the Lightning weren’t able to find some late offense. The Bolts got their second shot on net with 3:01 to go when Darren Raddysh sent one in from distance. Nick Paul was able to get a stick on the rebound as Bobrovsky juggled it for a moment, but the goalie eventually covered it up with no damage done.
Second Period
One of the enduring traits of this team, no matter who is on it, is that they don’t get phased by much. Down two goals on the road in front of a hostile crowd is enough to unnerve a lot of teams, but the Lightning just went about their business. With a bit of a difference. They got shots on net.
Anthony Duclair let one go from distance and Brayden Point fought his way to the front of the net to be in position to tip it past Bobrovsky. Just like that there was a little life in the Lightning’s offense.
Brayden Point (1) [Anthony Duclair (1), Victor Hedman (1)] 2-1 Panthers
They were doing a better job of getting to loose pucks and getting some shots through the screens the Panthers were setting. They also took advantage of the power play. With Carter Verhaeghe in the box for running over Vasilevskiy, the Lightning power play went to work. Much like in the first period, the puck found it’s way to Stamkos in his office. He didn’t hit the post this time and he slammed it past Bobrovsky and inside the post instead of off of it.
Steven Stamkos (2) [Victor Hedman (2), Nikita Kucherov (2)] Power Play, 2-2
With some success behind them, the Lightning started to find their game a bit. An inspired forecheck was causing the Panthers to struggle with some of their breakouts. The Lightning took advantage as they generated 23 shot attempts with 15 of them finding the goaltender. Unfortunately, on one of them, Bobrovsky made an absolute insane save. Anthony Cirelli’s pass split the defender’s legs and had Bobrovsky turned the wrong way. Matt Dumba was in the right spot to chip the backhand into the net, but Bob came spinning back into the play and somehow got his arm on the puck to keep it out.
From there it turned into a goaltending showcase as Vasilevskiy made three key saves in a row.
He followed those up with absolute larceny on Matt Tkachuk.
At the other end, Bobrovsky got a toe on a semi-breakaway from Cirelli and then held the post as Stamkos came flying in to try and knock it home.
The game had opened up by then as the two teams combined for 33 scoring chances and 21 high-danger chances. Kudos to the goaltenders for keeping it 2-2.
Third Period
Four of the first five minutes of the third period was played at 5v4 in favor of the Lightning as Eetu Luostarinen high-sticked Erik Cernak just 30+ seconds into the period. For a brief moment it looked like Nikita Kucherov had labeled a one-timer inside the near post, but Bobrovsky got over just in time to keep it out of the net.
From their it was basically overtime hockey as the hitting picked up, players sold out to block shots or take plays away from opponents and the opportunities dwindled. Late in the period, Max Crozier made a nice play to take a Panther out of the play as he was crashing the net after Lilleberg had turned the puck over due to his stick breaking on a clearing attempt.
After 21 high-danger chances in the wide-open second period, the two teams combined for just 5 in the third frame. Shots on goal totaled just 12 with the last one being the closest to ending it. Anthony Duclair had a step on the defense and chipped it up over Bobrovsky’s poke-check, but it didn’t clear the goaltender’s shoulder.
On to overtime the two teams went.
Overtime
At least the Lightning didn’t deprive us of too much sleep. The overtime period did not take long, in fact, just 2:58 seconds. Matthew Tkachuk made a nice move along the boards to spin inside of Lilleberg. He was able to get the puck to Anton Lundell who found Carter Verhaeghe down low. Vasilevskiy tried to poke it off of his stick as his former teammate cut in front of the net. Vasy missed and Verhaeghe was able to lift it over him an just under the bar for the win.
Carter Verhaeghe (2) [Anton Lundell (1), Matthew Tkachuk (3)] 3-2 Panthers
The series shifts to Tampa on Thursday with the Lightning needing to find away to beat Bobrovsky more than twice a game.
