Lightning gets 100th point in win against Montreal

It was another extra session game for the good guys yesterday as the Lightning took down the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 in a shootout. Braydon Point and Nikita Kucherov scored in the shootout and Louis Domingue was sharp in the extra session.

The Lightning, now 48–17-4 collected their 100th point of the season and are on pace to set a new team record for points in a season. The previous high for points in a season was set by the Stanley Cup team of 2014-15 with 108 points. The 2003-04 Stanley Cup team collected 106 points in their championship season.

Ryan MacDonagh made his Lightning debut. Paired with former Rangers teammate Dan Girardi, MacDonagh played just over 16 minutes, had two blocked shots and was able to get the puck out of the defensive zone consistently. Something that has been lacking with this defensive group as of late.

J.T. Miller the other Ex-New York Ranger acquired at the trade deadline has been playing on different lines and has been productive wherever he has been playing. In six games, Miller has 2G and 4A. Miller has been seeing time lately on a line with Stamkos and Kucherov.

Victor Hedman has been a workhorse these last few games averaging over 25 minutes a game of ice time. Yesterday against Montreal Hedman played 29:35. That is a lot of ice time for the way the Lightning use Hedman. Hopefully as MacDonagh adjusts to the Lightning, he will pick up some of those minutes so Hedman can be fresh for the playoff run.

The Lightning are going to have to make a decision. on their back-up goaltender real soon as Peter Budaj will begin his rehab assignment in Syracuse this week. Budaj has been out since suffering a lower body injury in late December. Louis Domingue has played well as the back-up to Vasilevskiy. Steve Yzerman will have a decision to make later this week.

Budaj or Domingue cannot be sent to Syracuse, so the Lightning will have to carry three goaltenders or risk losing one. Neither goaltender can be sent down to Syracuse without going through waivers and you can be sure that someone would snatch up either Budaj or Domingue. The Lightning could trade one of them, but they would not be eligible to play with the new team since the trade deadline has past, barring an injury.

The lightning should get plenty of rest this week as they will have only two games this week. Tuesday night against Ottawa, and on St. Patty’s day against the Boston Bruins.

— Ondrej Palat is still out with a lower body injury. Palat was injured in the game against Minnesota on Jan 20th on a slash by Jared Spurgeon. The original diagnosis was Palat would be out 6-8 weeks and it looks as if it will be closer to 8 weeks as Palat is not that close to returning.

Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports