Tampa Bay Lightning D Victor Hedman Ties Things Up For The Atlantic Division (Video)
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman scores his first goal of the night to tie things up for the Atlantic Division at the 2017 NHL All-Star Game.
The Tampa Bay Lightning, along with the rest of the National Hockey League, have hit the pause button on the regular season in order for some of the best and brightest players in the league to make their way to the Staples Center in Los Angeles for the 2017 NHL All-Star Weekend.
This is the point in the season where the players have the opportunity to work together with players they wouldn’t normally get to play beside, play some quality hockey, and just have some good, old-fashioned fun. Of course, there is still a bit of competition going on.
Today is the day we’ve been waiting all weekend for. Now is the time when the Divisions square off against one another for a year’s worth of bragging rights and supremacy over the league. Well…maybe not the last part, but most definitely the bragging rights.
After the Central Division was unceremoniously eliminated 10-3 by the Pacific Division, it was on to the matchup between the Atlantic Division and the Metropolitan Division. Of course, being Tampa Bay Lightning fans, everyone here in the Bolts Nation is pulling for the Atlantic Division, despite those ghastly uniforms.
After Philadelphia Flyers forward Wayne Simmonds scored two goals and Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov brought home one of his own, the Atlantic Division found themselves down 2-1. Thankfully, the Atlantic Division weren’t ready to go quietly.
The Atlantic Division had possession of the puck in the offensive zone. Florida Panthers forward Vincent Trocheck gained control of the puck to the side of the net. Trocheck sent the puck back to the blueline where Nikita Kucherov was ready and waiting.
Kucherov spins and then sends the puck up the ice to a well-placed Victor Hedman. Unlike some goal-scorers, Hedman bided his time well. After he had his target locked in, Hedman went top shelf and deftly put the puck past Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky .
At this point in the game it has been neck and neck. If the Atlantic Division wants to move on to the Championship Game, they are going to have to bring the pressure to the Metropolitan Division. The Metro has a high-powered offense, and the Atlantic will have to pull out all the stops if they want to bring home the victory.
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Hopefully, when Nikita Kucherov and Victor Hedman make their way back to the Sunshine State to take the ice with their teammates against the Boston Bruins, they bring with them some of the mojo they seem to have gained so far at the All-Star Game. If they can accomplish this, the Lightning may be able to make something of the season after all.