The Lightning simply did not play well enough in their 5-1 loss to the New York Rangers. They made a handful of costly defensive mistakes and endured an 0-7 night on the power play. They also ran into a terrific and memorable performance from Igor Shesterkin, who not only turned aside numerous scoring chances but also scored the first goalie goal in Rangers franchise history.
Unlike the Lightning, the Rangers had already played a game, which may have benefitted them in the early minutes. They owned the early possession—after one extended offensive-zone shift, they drew a penalty. On the ensuing power play, the Rangers won the faceoff and kept the puck in the offensive zone. Soon after, Pavel Dorofeyev’s shot from the slot hit the crossbar, and the rebound caromed directly to Mika Zibanejad at the left circle. Before Andrei Vasilevskiy could set himself for the second shot, Zibanejad zipped a wrister into the top of the net at 5:34. Compounding matters for the Lightning on the play was the fact that Victor Hedman lost his stick. Anthony Cirelli gave his stick to Hedman, but the Lightning were down a man and a stick when the goal was scored.
After that goal, the Lightning found their rhythm. For much of the rest of the period, the action took place in the New York end. The Lightning did well to generate multiple Grade-A scoring chances. But Shesterkin stopped them all.
The Rangers managed to post only two first-period shots on goal after the early tally. But one of those yielded a goal off an odd-man rush. Oliver Bjorkstrand forced a neutral-zone turnover and countered with Dorofeyev, who finished his chance into an open side of the net at 10:51.
In the second period, the Lightning were unable to sustain their territorial edge. The Rangers outchanced the Lightning in the frame—and outscored them, 2-1. Both New York goals occurred after the Lightning failed to clear the puck from the defensive zone. Eeli Tolvanen’s centering feed from the right circle deflected off the skates of both Hedman and Charle-Edouard D’Astous before sliding into the Lightning net. That goal at 1:40 extended the New York lead to 3-0. Then, after Nikita Kucherov received an equally fortunate bounce—his pass from the side of the Rangers net hit Noah Laba and crossed the goal line at 7:59—Gabe Perreault re-established a three-goal lead at 16:01. Moments after the Lightning lost the puck in the d-zone, Adam Fox fired a right-point shot that Perreault deflected with his stick. The puck then hit Perreault’s body before getting past Vasilevskiy.
The Lightning tried to press in the third—and were aided by four power plays—but the Rangers held them to just six shots in the frame. Twice, Jon Cooper pulled Vasilevskiy for an extra attacker during a power play, but the move didn’t pay off. Late in the third, with the teams skating at even strength, Vasilevskiy again went to the bench for an extra attacker. Following a Lightning dump-in, the puck hit the end boards and ricocheted to Shesterkin. He lofted a perfect shot down the ice and into the open net. The first-ever goalie goal in the franchise’s long history capped a celebratory, feel-good night for the Rangers and their fans.
Turnovers hurt the Lightning. So did their power play. And Shesterkin foiled them—especially in the first period—by denying Tampa Bay’s best scoring chances.
The Lightning will look to tighten things up when they play their home opener on Saturday against Washington.
Lightning Radio Three Stars of the Game:
Igor Shesterkin — Rangers. 24 saves. Goal.
Adam Fox — Rangers. Two assists.
Joseph Veleno — Rangers. 6:33 SH TOI. 10-5 on faceoffs.