Lightning Win Thriller In Overtime
Yanni Gourde‘s overtime goal gave the Tampa Bay Lightning a 4-3 victory over the Ottawa Senators.
Cedric Paquette, Mathieu Joseph, and Brayden Point also scored and Louis Domingue stopped 22-of-25 shots as the Bolts improve to 10-3-1 (21-points) on the season.
Bobby Ryan Maxime Lajoie, and Cody Ceci each scored while Craig Anderson stopped 41-of-45 shots as the Senators fall to 5-7-2 (12-points) on the season.
How It Happened:
Anthony Cirelli and Ryan Callahan both were stopped on breakaway’s in the first period while Bobby Ryan and Maxime Lajoie each scored power play goals giving Ottawa a 2-0 first period lead. Entering the game, Tampa Bay’s penalty kill unit had only allowed three goals the entire season.
Often, when a team is trailing by multiple goals after the first period there is an extra emphasis on the first five minutes of the ensuing period. This was the case as Cedric Paquette scored less than a minute into the second period to cut the Senators lead to 2-1. The score remained 2-1 into the third period.
The Lightning finally tied the game at 2-2 three minutes into the second period as Mathieu Joseph scored his first career NHL goal. The game remained tied until 4:44 remaining in regulation when Cody Ceci scored the go ahead goal on a broken play in which both teams appeared to stop and wait for a whistle during a scrum on one end of the ice.
It’s Not Over ‘Til It’s Over:
The Lightning had an opportunity handed to them on a silver platter when Mikkel Boedker was sent to the penalty box for slashing with just 1:40 remaining. During the power play the Lightning also pulled Louis Domingue from net.
With 30-seconds remaining it appeared as if the Senators were about to break out 3-on-1 with an empty net in front of them to close the game but Ryan McDonagh broke the play up getting the puck to Tyler Johnson. Johnson then sent the puck cross ice to Brayden Point who tied the game up.
It only took 0:14 seconds for the Lightning to score the winning goal in overtime. Brayden Point raced down the ice and fired a shot off Craig Anderson. The rebound went to Yanni Gourde who delivered the game winner.
Lightning Notes:
- The Lightning allowed the opposition to score the games first goal for the fourth straight game.
- Cedric Paquette played his 250th NHL game and celebrating by scoring the Bolts first goal less than a minute into the second period. It was his seventh goal of the season and Adam Erne and Ryan McDonagh picked up assists.
- Mathieu Joseph scored his first career NHL goal to tie the game at 2-2 in the third period. It was his 14th career goal. Anthony Cirelli and Anton Stralman notched assists.
- Brayden Point scored his eighth goal of the season with assist to Tyler Johnson and Ryan McDonagh.
- Yanni Gourde scored the game winner in overtime, it was his sixth goal of the season. Brayden Point and Ryan McDonagh picked up assist.
- Ryan McDonagh finished the night with three assists. It was his second three assist game (regular season) in his career. His last was on December 27, 2016 also against the Senators while he was a member of the New York Rangers. He also has one career playoff game with three assist. That came against the Montreal Canadiens on May 17, 2014 while he was with the Rangers.
- Louis Domingue played in his 100th career NHL game.
- Both the Lightning and Senators, 1992 expansion teams, played their 2000th regular season game.
Up Next For Bolts:
Tampa Bay returns home for a three game homestand beginning Tuesday night at 7:30 against the Edmonton Oilers. They will take on the New York Islanders on Thursday night at 7:30 and wrap up the homestand against the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night at 7:00.
