The Tampa Bay Lightning came into tonight’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers looking for a little revenge. Four days ago the Lightning lost in Philly and lost that game 4-2, but the game was never really as close as the score would show.
Through the first five minutes of the game the Lightning tallied three shots on starting Philly goalie Steve Mason. The Flyers were only about the muster one shot on Ben Bishop. Just a few shorts moments later Steven Stamkos would get called for a high sticking penalty that would leave the Bolts shorthanded for four minutes. With less than 30 seconds left on the penalty kill, The Flyers would cause a ruckus in front of Bishop that would ultimately end with Sam Gagner getting a power play goal to give the Flyers a 1-0 lead. The Lightning would get a power play of their own, but would be unable to tie the game up midway through the 1st. Throughout the first there would be an awful lot of pushing and shoving showing there is no love lost between these two teams. As both teams headed to their locker rooms the score would remain 1-0 Flyers after one period of play.
The Lightning came out in the first moderately flat and the Flyers took advantage by scoring their second power play goal of the night on the power play. Matt Read would take a wrist shot from the top of the circle. Bishop never had a chance to stop it. A few minutes later Brayden Schenn would get a wraparound goal and bury it in a wide open net. Heading into the midway point of the 2nd the Flyers would hold a 3-0 lead over the Lightning. The last few games the Lightning have seemed kind of sluggish following their franchise record nine game winning streak.
The 3rd would start off slow for both teams, but it was the Flyers who would keep the Bolts pinned in their zone for most the period. Late in the 3rd Head Coach Jon Cooper would pull Ben Bishop in favor of an extra skater. Almost immediately Brian Boyle would manage to push a puck past Steve Mason breaking the Lightning’s potential six period scoreless streak. Cooper would pull Bishop once again in favor of the extra attacker, but unfortunately the Lightning had too high of a deficit to climb out of as the final seconds ticked off the clock.
Tampa will head on the road for a four game road trip starting Sunday at 3pm in Columbus.
3 Stars of the Game
3rd Star – Steve Mason: The few chances the Lightning had to get back into this game Mason stoned them. Was solid all game long and kept the Flyers ahead long enough to get the win.
2nd Star – Matt Read: Got what would end up being the game winning goal for the Flyers second power play goal of the game.
1st Star – Sam Gagner: Had the first goal of the game that set the momentum in the Flyers favr all game long.
