Dawn, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Lightning gained the very first two video games of their playoff sequence with the Florida Panthers on the highway previous yr.
They’re halfway to a repeat effectiveness.
Pierre-Edouard Bellemare scored the go-ahead objective early in the 3rd time period, Andrei Vasilevskiy remained pink-very hot with 34 will save and the Lightning topped the Panthers 4-1 in Video game 1 of an Japanese Conference semifinal collection Tuesday night time.
In Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper’s estimation, Vasilevskiy was the tale.
“Look at the saves he makes at the situations we want them,” Cooper explained. “To me, that’s what excellent goaltenders do and they give you a opportunity to gain a hockey video game and that’s what our guy did once again tonight.”
Nikita Kucherov and Corey Perry each experienced a goal and an help, and Ross Colton also scored for the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions, who went in advance 1- towards their in-condition rivals for the next consecutive year.
Time and once again, Vasilevskiy slammed the door on Florida. Around his past three video games — all of them wins, together with Sport 7 at Toronto on Sunday — he’s stopped 94 of 99 pictures.
“He provides 100 per cent hard work every single game and everybody’s just striving to get his energy and carry it to your recreation,” Kucherov stated. “He’s a chief … he’s our greatest player.”
Anthony Duclair experienced the goal for Presidents’ Trophy-winning Florida, which bought 32 saves from Sergei Bobrovsky. Such as the qualifying spherical that was held when the NHL restarted during the pandemic in 2020, Florida has lost seven consecutive Activity 1s — a streak that goes back again to 1997.
Game 2 is Thursday night.
“They are also fantastic of a team, a veteran crew, and they’re not likely to open up the door for you,’’ Florida interim mentor Andrew Brunette reported. “We had our chances. On to the following recreation.”
Duclair, a 31-goal scorer, was scratched by Florida for its collection-clinching acquire at Washington, but he was back Tuesday and gave his team the guide by scoring on a pass from Jonathan Huberdeau at 14:01 of the to start with.
Duclair’s goal arrived following the Panthers killed off a pair of early penalties — 1 from MacKenzie Weegar and the other from Duclair — as particular teams turned a aspect in the match.
Florida went for 18 on the electric power enjoy in the series win against the Capitals and was scoreless on a few more attempts Tuesday. But Tampa Bay cashed in a few of its six probabilities.
“Part of our video game plan was to keep out of the box,” Duclair said. “Their electricity enjoy has been lethal.”
Following Kucherov was hooked by Weegar, he went correct close to Florida defenseman Aaron Ekblad and fed Perry for a faucet-in objective at 16:22 of the 2nd period.
Bellemare’s goal came 3:35 into the third interval, giving Tampa Bay its very first lead of the recreation — and the Lightning stored it the rest of the way. The Lightning won a faceoff in the Florida zone and Perry took a quick shot from the slot that Bobrovsky stopped, but the rebound squirted appropriate to Bellemare.
He beat Bobrovsky to the glove facet for a 2-1 direct.
It appeared, for a instant, Florida finished its prolonged power perform drought and tied the rating when Duclair scored on a unfastened puck. Tampa Bay challenged, indicating the puck went off the netting and was hence out of perform. Online video assessment confirmed that and the Lightning ongoing to guide 2-1.
“We knew, right absent our coaching workers informed us that was not going to be a objective,” Duclair reported. “So you transform the page, get suitable again at it.”
But it was the final hurrah for Florida. Tampa Bay still left no question late, with Kucherov and Colton every single finding power-perform tallies in the closing 4:06 to place the sport away.
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