The Tampa Bay Lightning were hoping to pop some champagne tonight, but Corey Perry had other ideas. Andrei Vasilevskiy did everything in his power to give his team a chance to win. Anton Khudobin channeled his inner Marty Brodeur stopping 39 shots.
Teammates have that scoring touch
it seems every time the Lightning scored in the 2019-2020 playoff restart it’s been one of three names. Victor Hedman, Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point have all produced regularly for the Lightning. Ondrej Palat even has 11 goals through the playoffs. They have done it to the point that it feels like Columbus, Boston, the Islanders and Stars just can’t stop them. While they have been hotter than hot, the Bolts have gotten scoring from other places. Victor Hedman 10 goals, Yanni Gourde has seven goals and Anthony Cirelli has three
Fast and Furious start
The puck had barely dropped when at 4:19 when Tyler Seguin was sent to the sin bin for a high stick on Point. For the rare occurrence the Dallas Stars were able to stifle the Bolts, but not without Anton Khudobin was peppered with a ton of shots. During the long two minutes it felt like it was only a matter of time, but alas the Bolts would start the game 0-1 on the power play. Shots on goal would be pretty even throughout the first period. With 2:08 remaining in the 1st, the Lightning would fail to get the puck out of the zone. Corey Perry would step in and top shelf it past Andrei Vasilevskiy for a 1-0 lead.
Top line strikes…. again
Almost around the exact time that Perry scored in the first period, Ondrej Palat would tie the game up as he drove the net like a man possessed. Kucherov and Point notched yet another pair of assists that brings them to 33-31 points in the playoffs.
🗣 NOWADAYS EVERYBODY WANNA TALK LIKE THEY GOT SOMETHING TO SAY pic.twitter.com/GHMJQXYd8M
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) September 27, 2020
Once that goal was scored the Bolts sensed blood in the water and went on the attack almost notching another goal nearly five minutes later. Tampa would go on the penalty kill at 12:33 of the 2nd. Carter Verhaeghe would get called for a slash. Dallas would get their moments, but Ryan McDonagh nearly got a short handed goal. His shot went wide left, but the camera view made it look like it went in.
Another D-Goal!
This time it wasn’t from Hedman, Mikhail Sergachev notched his first goal in the cup final (3rd of the playoffs) from the point. The goal was at even strength and shows what I said earlier, they get scoring from everywhere. With Erik Cernak’s penalty ending, Joe Pavelski tied the game up again 3-3 with 6:45 left in the third. That goal would force this game to go back into overtime again tonight.
Perry gets #2
Now one would say after a team plays over four and a half overtime periods in the first game of the playoffs, no kidding they broke the record. One could say tonight’s overtime could cause Bolts fans to lose all their fingernails, pull their hair out and possible vocal over utilization. It took Dallas 17:53 to get their first “official” shot on goal in the first OT period. The Lightning would end leading the shots on goal 7-1. Perry would notch his 2nd goal of the game in the 2nd overtime to force a game 6 on Monday at 8pm.
Three Stars of the Game
3rd Star: Anton Khudobin – Made 39 Saves
2nd Star: Ondrej Palat – 1 goal
1st Star: Corey Perry – 2 Goals
