Lightning 4, Vancouver Canucks 2, Five Tidy Takeaways

NHL Final Score: Tampa Bay Lightning 4, Vancouver Canucks 2

Pregame Notes:

Same line-up and same goalie from the Panthers game according to Vancouver Canucks Head Coach Bruce Boudreau.

Vasily Podkolzin, JT Miller, Brock Boeser

Tanner Pearson, Elias Pettersson, Nils Höglander

Jason Dickinson, Bo Horvat, Conor Garland

Matthew Highmore, Juho Lammikko, Tyler Motte

Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Tyler Myers

Quinn Hughes, Luke Schenn

Brad Hunt, Tucker Poolman

Thatcher Demko

Momentum Goals

After one period, the Lightning led the Canucks 2-1 with the Bolts tallying with :20-seconds remaining.

Always tough giving up a goal in the first or last minute of a period. The previous establishes momentum for the opponent starting the ensuing nineteen minutes and the latter makes you feel like crap heading to the dressing room for a break. Anthony Cirelli’s late first period goal set the stage for some pondering by the Canucks as they had to sit around and wait.

The Vancouver Canucks had their first power play of the game starting the second period. They failed, but they played a very strong stanza. The score remained the same after two.

The Canucks then had their third power play of the game starting the third period. Would they get an early momentum goal to tie things up?

Nope.

Goal Scorers

1st Period: 1-0 Tampa Bay – Steven Stamkos (18) – Victor Hedman, Nikita Kucherov (3:16) Power Play

1st Period: 1-1 Vancouver – Matthew Highmore (1) – Tyler Motte (12:05) Even strength

1st Period: 2-1 Tampa Bay – Anthony Cirelli (11) – Alex Killorn, Erik Cernak (19:39) Even strength

3rd Period 3-1 Tampa Bay – Boris Katchouk (2) – Ross Colton (11:24) Even strength

3rd Period 3-2 Vancouver – Tyler Motte (4) – Juho Lammikko, Matthew Highmore (15:46)

3rd Period 4-2 Tampa Bay – Brayden Point (14) – Unassisted (18:44)

Not So Special Teams

A big factor in the hockey game, which isn’t unusual, was special teams. Power play chances were limited in this game, but often it only takes one or two. In the case of the Lightning, one for three, while for the Canucks, a big fat oh-fer. The latter made a huge difference because the top unit was somewhat anemic and the second unit was kept off the ice.

The Vancouver Canucks best opportunity was their fourth and final one midway through the third period, but they still only managed one shot on goal. That was their power play shot total for the game.

The Canucks on the man advantage are now 0-for-7 on the road trip.

He Said It:

“I liked the compete, I thought we were much better than the other night,” Boudreau said postgame. “Any time you can limit that team to 21 shots, I’m not sure what the chances were, but I know they didn’t have a lot of them. At the same time, we have opportunities, we have four power plays and we don’t get anything, and that’s my fault for putting the same guys out there all the time. That’s gotta get better.”

Simmer’s Canucks 3 Stars:

How about a 4th line clean sweep …

3) Juho Lammikko – Picked up an assist and won 60% of his face-offs. Blocked a shot and had one on goal in 13:45.

2) Matthew Highmore – Scored on his only shot on goal and added an assist in 12:15 of ice time.

1) Tyler Motte – Fancy between-the-legs goal made the game very interesting with less than five minutes to play. Goal, assist, two shots, and two blocked shots in 13:37.