Game Recap: Tampa Bay Lightning Shut Out The Chicago Blackhawks

Earlier today, in my preview of tonight’s game, I said this would be an important victory for the Tampa Bay Lightning. For me personally, I have bragging rights over my family who are all Blackhawk fans. For half of the game between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Chicago Blackhawks, it was a game that certainly lived up to the hype. The game had a playoff feel to it for the first 30 minutes of the game.

During the first period, the Lightning took it to the visitors from Chicago on the 5 v 5 play but due to three penalties called against them, the Blackhawks held a 10 to 7 advantage in the shots on goal after initial frame.

Both goalies were tested early but not often in the first period. Ben Bishop and Scott Darling held off the opposing teams on several scoring chances keeping their respective teams in the game.

Although Chicago played last night against the Panthers in Sunrise, they showed no effects from the back to back in the first two periods. The fact that Chicago has one of the best back to back records in the NHL says a lot about the veteran savvy on this team.

The second verse was just like the first. Playoff-like electricity but almost halfway through the period we were still scoreless. That is until Jonathan Drouin made a beautiful behind the back, through his legs pass to Brian Boyle right in front of the net all by himself and Boyle put the puck past Chicago goalie, Scott Darling to give the Tampa Bay Lightning a 1 – 0 lead.

That lone goal stood until with a little less than three minutes left in the middle period, when Jason Garrison unleashed one of his patented booming shots from the point. Steven Stamkos just got a hint of his stick on the blistering shot and deflected it pass Darling to give the Bolts a two goal lead as the period ended.

Heading into the final period, you could hear the overwhelming chant of  “Let’s Go ‘Hawks” inside Amalie. The Lightning players must have felt they were playing a road game at times. There are many times in a hockey game when the next goal is big. That was the case as the third period began. If Chicago scores, it is a 2 -1 game with momentum on Chicago’s side. If the Lightning scores, it is 3 to 0 and it will pretty much ice the game.

Just past the seven minute mark, the Bolts much maligned power play was on the ice and would you believe it, Ryan Callahan tipped in a nice pass from Valtteri Filppula to give the Lightning a 3 goal lead. With a little more than 12 minutes left in the game.  An actual power play goal.  Call off the APB.

That goal was indeed big because it took the wind out of the Blackhawks sail.  Steven Stamkos added another power play goal with less than three minutes left for the final 4 – 0 margin. Now, the visitors looked like a team that was playing in the third period of a back to back. They looked like a team that was without their top scorer, who also happens to be the top scorer in the NHL, Patrick Kane.

I know some in Bolt Nation will say that is why this victory is not as impressive. They will say the Lightning need to do this against Detroit or Montreal or Boston. Then the Lightning will have arrived. To that, I say balderdash. I actually said something else but this is a family blog. Whenever your goalie shuts out an NHL team as Ben Bishop did tonight, it is a big victory. It can and usually leads to other victories.

The sprint to the playoffs has begun. Tonight’s game was the first of the final 20 for this edition of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Every victory is important. Anytime you can get two points, you take them and be happy with them. There are 19 games to go in the regular season and most of them are agasint the Atlantic Division rivals. Each game will have a possible four point swing.

Tonight was a great victory against a team that has won two of the last four Stanley Cups. In addition, I now have the last word over my brother, George and my cousin, Bobby. Both of them Blackhawk fans who grudgingly gave the Bolts something important tonight-their respect. I’ll take it.

Next game is against the up and coming, Florida Panthers in Sunrise on Sunday. Puck drops early at 5:00 p.m.

Next: Steven Stamkos: 'There's No Easy Hockey Games Here'

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