It was a wild Wednesday on the ice at Benchmark International Arena. As the Lightning and Rangers got under way in the first period of the match, the two clubs combined to score seven goal in the first 15 shots of the game.
The Rangers went back-to-back to take a quick 2-0 lead over Tampa Bay less than four minutes in. The first goal was a wrist shot on a power play by Will Cuyelle that was assisted by Adam Fox and Artemi Panarin.
They then followed it up with a deflected shot by J.T. Miller that was assisted by Mika Zibanejad.
The Lightning then broke through in the second period! In his Tampa Bay Lightning debut the forward Scott Sabourin scored his first goal of his Lightning tenure and just the third of his NHL career. It was assisted by a pair of centers in Curtis Douglas and Jack Finley, each with the first assist of their careers to make it a 2-1 Rangers lead.
Just 7:08 into the period, the fourth goal of the game was scored by the Rangers, their third of the match. It was a wrist shot by Alexis Lafreniere to extend the Rangers’ lead to 3-1. He was assisted by Panarin and Carson Soucy.
But then the Lightning once again struck back. Zemgus Girgensons sent his third goal of the season between the pipes to make it a 3-2 game. He was assisted by Yanni Gourde and Oliver Bjordkstrand.
Will Borgen then struck again for the Rangers. It was an unassisted wrist shot that extended New York’s lead to 4-2.
But Jake Guentzel kept the chaos going. His backhand shot that was assisted by J.J. Moser made it 4-3.
That’s where the wild period ended as both sides went to the locker room to regroup for the second period.
The second period was a much more defensive battle. Only one goal was scored in the period and it was by the Rangers.
Vincent Trocheck scored his first goal of the season to make it a 5-3 New York lead over Tampa Bay. His wrist shot was assisted by Panarin who had his third assist of the day, and Vladislav Gavrikov.
The lone goal of the period sent the game to a third and final period of regulation with the Rangers on top 5-3.
As the third period got under way, six minutes in Trocheck scored his second goal of the season to extend New York’s lead to 6-3 over Tampa Bay. He was assisted on the wrist shot by Urho Vaakanainen and Paranin who was having a heck of a game on his fourth assist of the season.
The Rangers then extended their lead over Tampa Bay even more late in the third as they took advantage of a power play goal to make it a 7-3 game. Cuylle had his second power play goal of the game. It was an unassisted wrist shot.
That's where this game ended as the Rangers went on to defeat the Lightning 7-3 at Benchmark International Arena despite being out-shot 34-21. But the Rangers were able to make the most of more of their shots as their goalie, Igor Shesterkin shut down the Lightning offense after the first period.
The Tampa Bay Lightning will be back on the ice for perhaps their biggest matchup of the regular season this far on Saturday at 5:00PM EST when they take on the Florida Panthers down south in Sunrise, Florida.