This was a dominating performance for the Lightning and not just because they won by five goals. The Bolts carried play for nearly all of the game.
The Panthers have skilled, mobile defensemen who are very capable of getting out of their own zone and creating offensive up ice. The Lightning’s strategy, which proved to be quite effective, was to close on those defensemen before they had a chance to get out of their own end. When the Tampa Bay forwards reached the Panthers’ D, they finished their checks. This prevented the Panthers from easily exiting their zone and helped the Bolts enjoy a lopsided puck-possession advantage. It also had the cumulative effect of wearing down the Florida players.
Leading the way for the Lightning in this regard was the top line of Steven Stamkos, Ryan Malone and Marty St. Louis. They were tenacious in their puck pursuit and punished the Florida players with checks at every opportunity. This was embodied in the sequence that led to the third Lightning goal, scored by Stamkos. During that shift, twice the Panthers had the puck in the defensive zone – and twice they lost it. Stamkos in particular was a puck hound, winning a battle behind the net to get the puck on his stick. Eventually, after a goalmouth scramble, Matt Carle tapped the puck to Stamkos, who snapped in a shot from the right circle.
When the top line plays that way, it’s infectious and the other lines followed suit. The result was a lopsided game.
Lightning Radio Big Moment of the Game (as selected by Phil Esposito): Ondrej Palat’s goal late in the second period to give the Lightning a 4-1 lead.
Lightning Radio Three Stars of the Game (as selected by Phil Esposito):
Steven Stamkos – Lightning. Hat trick, assist. Four hits. Won 53% of faceoffs.
Valtteri Filppula – Lightning. Two goals. Won 63% of faceoffs.
Teddy Purcell – Lightning. Three assists.
