Going into Sunday’s game in Colorado, the Tampa Bay Lightning (26-24-8) needed a win going up against a bad Avalanche team (16-38-3), looking to extend their point-streak to six games. Ben Bishop was in net for the Bolts, going 3-0 in his last three starts.
The Lightning went up quickly in shots, creating many chances as the period went on. It allowed Brayden Point to push one through for his eighth goal of the season at the 18:18 mark of the first period. Alex Killorn gave him a perfect pass right across the middle and left the net open for Point. Killorn and Victor Hedman were given the assists.
Excellent (adj.): Extremely good; outstanding. #TBLvsCOL pic.twitter.com/gA0vU9hqWE
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) February 20, 2017
After the first period, the Bolts were in control, leading in shots on goal 17-8. They came out in the second period with the same mentality, seeming like they would dominate the entire game.
With 10:09 played through the second period, Vladislav Namestnikov put the puck right in between Avalanche goalie Calvin Pickard’s legs for his seventh of the year. On the break, Namestnikov calmly slid the puck into the Colorado goal, as Valtteri Filppula and Brian Boyle earned the assists. Tampa Bay was up 2-0 after the second period.
Colorado came into the third period firing away. Mikko Rantanen scored his 13th goal on the first Avalanche shot in the third period, putting one past Bishop at the 2:46 mark, spoiling his shutout and scraping the Lightning’s lead to 2-1 early in the final period. But the Avalanche didn’t stop spraying Bishop with shots.
With under a minute to play, Matt Duchene shot and tied the game after multiple deflections off of Lightning defenders for his 16th goal. The Bolts saw their lead disappear and the game was sent into overtime, where the Avalanche had been 5-1 on the season.
In OT, the Lightning started fast and began shooting away, which ended up resulting in an amazing game-winner from Jonathan Drouin.
Oh boy.@jodrouin27, that was naaaaasty. #TBLvsCOL https://t.co/mrzpdUiNwQ
— NHL (@NHL) February 20, 2017
Drouin ripped the puck from behind and shook Pickard, leading to a great goal from the Lightning’s rising star, giving them a much-needed 3-2 victory.
This win pushed the Bolts’ point-streak to six games and the team comes home for a four-game homestand. They now sit five points behind the last wild card spot, and will take on the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday at 7:30 pm at Amalie Arena.
