After winning both games of their mini homestand, the Bolts headed out on a four-game road trip. The trip started with a stop in Toronto against the division leading Maple Leafs. The Leafs have had the Bolts’ number of late. They’ve won both of the previous two meetings this season, outscoring the Lightning by a total of 10-5. In their first meeting in Toronto, goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy got pulled after allowing 4 goals on 14 shots. Between Vasilevskiy’s poor performance against the Leafs this year and the Lightning having a back-to-back against the surging Montreal Canadiens tomorrow night, Jonas Johansson got the nod in net tonight.
First Goal of the Road Trip Goes to…
In their last meeting, the Bolts spotted the Leafs a 4-0 lead. They made a valiant comeback attempt late but still fell short. So the goal tonight would definitely be not to fall behind early. Unfortunately, that was not to be. Auston Matthews beat Johansson with a wrister just 4:06 into the opening period and the Bolts once again found themselves trailing early. The Leafs went on to outshoot the Lightning by a total of 11-6 in the period and took a 1-0 lead to the dressing room after 20 minutes.
Can’t Beat the Woll
The Lightning were a much improved team in the second period. But Joseph Woll was up for the challenge. He stopped everything the Bolts threw at him. Meanwhile, Johansson made a few nice saves of his own. But with 6:15 remaining in the frame, the Lightning allowed a breakaway to William Nylander who made no mistake burying his 28th of the season.
Finally, with a little under four minutes remaining in the second, the Bolts did manage to solve Woll. Darren Raddysh blasted a shot from the point and Nick Paul tipped it in. The puck bounced in and out quickly but was definitely a goal and the Lightning were on the board.
🗣️ “It’s Nick Paul on the goal, that was a tip by Paul”
Paulie gets the Bolts on the board in the second!#TBLvsTOR
🎧: https://t.co/S6Y9Tynk9H
📻: @1025TheBone pic.twitter.com/ZBEVxVIROt— Lightning Audio Network (@BoltsRadio) January 21, 2025
Unfortunately, they gave up another goal before the period ended. With 22 seconds to go, Matthew Knies scored. Despite a very good period for the Bolts, they went to the dressing room trailing by two.
Bolts Stymied in Road Trip Opener
The Leafs just had to hold down the fort in the final period. They did pretty well for the first eight minutes, including killing off a Lightning power play. But at 8:07, the Bolts won a faceoff and got the puck back to Darren Raddysh. Raddysh drilled it past Woll to pull the Lightning within a goal again.
“Shoots, SCORREEE!!! Another big blast from Raddysh!”
This time, Raddysh’s shot goes straight in for another Lightning goal!#TBLvsTOR
🎧: https://t.co/S6Y9Tynk9H
📻: @1025TheBone pic.twitter.com/ILTXALuCux— Lightning Audio Network (@BoltsRadio) January 21, 2025
And then, once again, within moments of the Lightning making a game of it, the Leafs came storming back. Matthew Knies scored on a power play at 10:09 and Toronto had its two-goal lead back.
Minutes later, the Bolts would get a power play opportunity and Nick Paul fired it home to pull the Lightning within a goal once again. But that was as close as they would come.
“Nick Paul on the tip!!!”
Another redirection by Nick Paul and the lefty unit cashes in on the power play!#TBLvsTOR
🎧: https://t.co/S6Y9Tynk9H
📻: @1025TheBone pic.twitter.com/hGoHxz0ow6— Lightning Audio Network (@BoltsRadio) January 21, 2025
With the Bolts fighting hard for the tying goal, they pulled Johansson for the extra attacker. Mitch Marner fired the puck down the ice and into the empty net to seal this one for Toronto.
The Lightning remain unable to beat the Leafs this season as they drop their third in a row to their division rivals.
Three Stars
1- Matthew Knies- 2 goals including the game winner, 1 assist
2- Nick Paul- 2 goals
3- Mitch Marner- 1 goal, 2 assists
Up Next
The Lightning are right back at it tomorrow night as this road trip continues with a stop in Montreal. The Canadiens have been red hot lately. Puck drop is scheduled for 7pm.
