After a disappointing game against the Anaheim Ducks on Friday night, the Tampa Bay Lightning redeemed themselves as they blew past the San Jose Sharks 7-1, a score that shocked a lot of fans around the league. The Lightning now sit at 28-10-5 on the season, which puts them at second in the Atlantic division.
Fourteen different players collected points for the Lightning on Saturday night, with six of those players collecting two points, the most by any player in this game. This game also marks the most dominant win so far this season for the Lightning.
As we prepare for the long wait until another Lightning game, here are the five things to take away from Saturday night’s game.
Stamkos Hits 20 Goals and 50 Points
After rumors of Steven Stamkos being traded circulated after the Lightning’s 2021 Stanley Cup win, Julien BriseBois said they were all false and there were no intentions of trading the captain. Fans are glad to still have Stamkos now though, as he has hit the fifty-point mark, along with the twenty-goal mark on the season, and we’re only 43 games into Lightning hockey this season.
Kucherov Playing Better Than Expected After Absence
It’s been only a few weeks since fans saw the return of Nikita Kucherov, and many fans thought he would be rusty after his return to the lineup, as he was out for close to half the season. However, fans couldn’t be more wrong, as Kucherov currently sits at 17 points in 11 games, and close to two points per game. To see Kucherov playing such an elite game after so much time out with injury is amazing to watch, and something fans hope keeps up as the Lightning continue the second half of the season.
Elliott Stepped Up After a Much-Needed Break for Vasilevskiy
After a hard game against the Ducks, where Vasilevskiy let in some goals that shouldn’t have gone in and putting up a below .900save % in the game, it was obvious that he needed a break. Elliott stepped in to play in net against the Sharks and did not disappoint, as he saved 27/28 shots and put up a .964 save %, in one of his best games this season. Vasilevskiy should be ready to play against the New Jersey Devils on Thursday, but fans can be assured that Elliott is reliable in the net and can win the Lightning a game when called upon.
One Of the Best Games of The Season
Not only was this game the biggest spread of the season, but it was also one of the best overall games the Lightning have had this season. The defense was on point, making some clutch plays throughout the game, and the offense not only produced, but was also able to finish what was produced more than any other time this season. Everything done on Saturday night was done perfectly, and it was hard for the Sharks to get anything going as the Lightning jumped on them from the start.
Ross Colton, The Lighter of Lamps
After a struggling start to the season, Ross Colton has been playing some of the best hockey we’ve seen from the young forward in his NHL career. He has been putting together some of his best performances of late and playing well on the defensive end and scoring goals as well. Saturday night marked the first multi-goal game of Ross Colton’s career, and if he can play like that consistently through the season, he should have no trouble getting another multi-goal game before the postseason comes around.