Photo via Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning’s struggle officially became a slide tonight, thanks to a late-game surge from the Chicago Blackhawks. Ryan Donato was the hero in Tampa, scoring a pair of goals, including the game-winner with just 54 seconds left in the third period, to give the Blackhawks a gritty 3-2 road victory. Donato has been a machine, extending his personal goal streak and securing Chicago's second straight win. Meanwhile, the powerhouse Lightning's sputtering start to the season continues in stunning fashion, as the tough loss hands the home team its fourth consecutive defeat.
Chicago Blackhawks Lineup:
Reichel - Bedard - Bertuzzi
Teravainen - Nazar - Mikheyev
Greene - Donato
Slaggert - Foligno - Dach
Vlasic - Rinzel
Kaiser - Levshunov
Grzelcyk - Murphy
Crevier
Knight
Soderblom
Tampa Bay Lightning Lineup:
Hagel - Cirelli - Kucherov
Guentzel - Point - Goncalves
Bjorkstrand - Gourde - James
Chaffee - Holmberg - Douglas
Hedman - Moser
McDonagh - Cernak
Lilleberg - Raddysh
Vasilevskiy
Johansson
Frank Nazar got Chicago on the board first at 9:19 of the opening frame to put them ahead 1-0. Off a pass from Tyler Bertuzzi, who was just below the right circle, taking a pass from Teuvo Teravainen, who was along the right wall, and he sent it to Nazar, who fired a one-timer from the hash marks on the power play. This was Nazar's third goal in the past five games.
At 13:03 of the second, Jake Guentzel scored his second goal of the season to tie it 1-1 when Nikita Kucherov provided the initial setup pass after he got the puck from Emil Lilleberg, who passed it to him in the neutral zone. Kucherov drove up, handing it over to Ryan McDonagh, who sent it back to Kucherov, failing to score. McDonagh got the puck again, fired, and Guentzel redirected it past Spencer Knight off McDonagh's slap shot. Ryan Donato took back the lead for the Blackhawks on a wrister that beat Andrei Vasilevskiy short side from the left circle at 9:44, making it 2-1. With just 42 seconds remaining in the middle frame, McDonagh knotted it 2-2 after he gave the puck to Kucherov in the neutral zone, both of them drove up into Chicago's end, and Kucherov with a cross-ice pass to McDonagh for a snap shot inside the right circle.
With just a minute remaining in the third period, where it was thought that the game would go into overtime, Donato scored the go-ahead goal for the 3-2 final. Teravainen passed to Nazar in the neutral zone, Donato skated into the Lightning's zone with Nazar, and Nazar's shot was denied. Donato got a hold of the puck, scoring into an open net off the rebound after Vasilevskiy was moved out of position to make a save on Nazar.
Notes:
- Ryan Donato has five goals during a four-game streak. ...In the past decade, Donato is the fourth Blackhawks player to score a go-ahead goal in the final minute of regulation. Others: Connor Bedard (59:06 on Dec. 15, 2024), Patrick Kane (59:43 on Feb. 27, 2019), and Duncan Keith (59:51 on April 4, 2018).
- Frank Nazar picked up both a goal and an assist, and Teuvo Teravainen collected a pair of assists. ...Nazar has four points in his past four games (three goals, one assist).
- Spencer Knight made a total of 29 saves for Chicago.
- The Blackhawks have two straight wins and four of five.
- This game was Dominic James' NHL debut.
- Nikita Kucherov picked up two assists; his second of the night marked his 999th NHL career point. This game was his return to Tampa Bay's lineup after missing the two previous games due to an illness.
- Ryan McDonagh recorded both a goal and an assist.
- Andrei Vasilevskiy made a total of 22 saves for Tampa Bay. ...His 13-game winning streak against Chicago has ended. It was tied with Thatcher Demko (13 games against San Jose) for the longest active streak against a single opponent.
- The Lightning are 0-2-2 in their past four games (4-0-1).
Comments
Post a Comment