Game #10: Tampa Bay Lightning (4-2-3) at Columbus Blue Jackets (3-4-2)
Time: 7:00 PM EST
Location: Nationwide Arena
Broadcast/Streaming: BSSUN, ESPN+, BSOH
Opponent’s Site: The Cannon
Preview
There are currently two teams in the NHL that have yet to win a game on the road this season. The woeful San Jose Sharks who are 0-5 and the Tampa Bay Lightning who are 0-2-1. With six of their next eight games on the road, the Bolts are hoping to change that stat. They will kick off a four-game road trip tonight against the Columbus Blue Jackets, a team that is off to a bit of a slow start.
For the Lightning, it’s about playing a complete 60 minutes while on the road. Coach Cooper lamented the fact that it seems that there have been 10 minutes in each of their away games where they’ve gotten out of their system and it’s cost them. To be fair, they haven’t been blown out in their regulation losses to Detroit and Ottawa, nor in the overtime loss to Buffalo, so he’s not wrong.
There was some improvement during their recent homestand, but some momentary breakdowns late in the game against Toronto and early in the game against Seattle cost them a perfect record during their recent stint at Amalie Arena.
In Columbus they face another team, like Seattle and San Jose, that is struggling to put the puck in the net. The Blue Jackets are currently 23rd in 5v5 scoring at 2.07 GF/60 and 26th overall at 2.51 when you factor in their 16.1% power play.
Not having noted goal-scorer Patrick Laine in the line-up has hurt, but his loss is compounded by the fact that Johnny Gaudreau has 0 goals in 9 games so far. Forwards Alexandre Texier and Cole Sillinger have also been held off of the goal sheet despite appearing in all 9 games. Boone Jenner has been carrying the offense with 4 goals while rookie Adam Fantilli is off to a solid start in his career with 5 points (2 goals, 3 assists) in 9 games.
There is some exciting young talent in Columbus in Fantilli, Kent Johnson, Kirill Marchenko, and defenseman David Jiricek, they just haven’t been able to put it together yet this season. Part of having a young team is that they tend to struggle in their own zone and the Blue Jackets are giving up 31.58 scoring chances per 60 minutes, the fourth-highest rate in the league. Hopefully, the Lightning can capitalized on those chances.
As much as the Bolts will want to press the offense against this team, it’ll be more important for them to make sure they take of the puck when they have possession. Turnovers have been their kryptonite on the road, and if they want to erase that goose egg in the road wins column, they will need to cut down on those. On paper this is a winnable game, but they need to go out and execute their game plan in order to make it reality.
Stats Match-up
| Game #10 | Tampa Bay Lightning | Columbus Blue Jackets |
| Overall Record | 4-2-3 | 3-4-2 |
| Home Record | 4-0-2 | 2-3-1 |
| Road Record | 0-2-1 | 1-1-1 |
| Goals For | 32 | 23 |
| Goals Against | 28 | 30 |
| xGF | 28.64 | 28.12 |
| xGA | 31.01 | 33.04 |
| Power Play | 33.3% | 16.1% |
| Penalty Kill | 86.4% | 83.9% |
Lines
Tampa Bay Lightning Projected Lines
Forwards
Alex Barré-Boulet – Brayden Point – Nikita Kucherov
Steven Stamkos – Nick Paul – Connor Sheary
Tanner Jeannot – Anthony Cirelli – Brandon Hagel
Mikey Eyssimont – Luke Glendening – Waltteri Merelä
Defenders
Victor Hedman – Erik Cernak
Mikhail Sergachev – Nick Perbix
Calvin de Haan – Darren Raddysh
Goalies
Jonas Johansson
Matt Tomkins
Based on practice on Wednesday.
Columbus Blue Jackets Projected Lines
Forwards
Johnny Gaudreau – Boone Jenner – Jack Roslovic
Kent Johnson – Adam Fantilli – Emil Bemstrom
Dmitri Voronkov – Cole Sillinger – Kirill Marchenko
Alexander Texier – Sean Kuraly – Justin Danforth
Defenders
Zach Werenski – Damon Severson
Ivan Provorov – David Jiricek
Jake Bean – Erik Gudbranson
Goalies
Elvis Merzlikins
Spencer Martin
Based on practice on Wednesday.
Question of the Night
Let’s keep this one simple – can the Lightning win on the road?
