Saturday’s game required the Lightning to battle through multiple tests—defenseman Ryan McDonagh left with an undisclosed injury in the first period and did not return. Washington led 1-0 before the game’s five-minute mark. An unlucky bounce against Tampa Bay tied the game just prior to the second period’s conclusion.
All of it was unfortunate, but none of it proved too much to overcome for Tampa Bay.
“They’re a good team,” Cooper said of the Capitals. “They had a plan, and fortunately for us we got to hang on.”
The visitors were the first team to score on Saturday, their goal coming from forward Brandon Duhaime 4:06 into play.
Duhaime snuck near the right goalpost to score on a shot from the goal line following a pass from Ethen Frank.
Tampa Bay didn’t make fans at Benchmark International Arena wait long for the tying goal.
Defenseman Emil Lilleberg’s first goal of the season evened things up for Tampa Bay, his one-timer from the center hashmarks beating Washington goalie Logan Thompson just 2:01 after the Duhaime marker.
Defenseman Charle-Edouard D’Astous and forward Jake Guentzel completed a give-and-go passing play that ended with Guentzel possessing the puck below the goal line. That’s where the latter dished a pass to a driving Lilleberg, whose shot fooled Thompson on the low left side of the net and tied the score.
Tampa Bay then utilized a power-play chance to claim its first lead late in the first period.
Captain Victor Hedman’s point shot from atop the power play caromed off Guentzel’s shinpad, then off a goalpost and in to make it 2-1 with 4:51 remaining in the first period.
The Lightning have now scored three power-play goals over the team’s last two games.
“Just getting reps and just moving the puck quick and getting shots,” Guentzel said of the power play’s recent success postgame. “I think the best thing to do is shoot the puck and create stuff off that.”