Lightning sets NHL record in win over Chicago.
The Lightning blew into the Windy City with a lot of gusto Sunday night and played their best game of the season in beating the Chicago Blackhawks 6-3.
The Lightning began the road trip in Minnesota and lost to the Wild 5-4. That should have been an easy win as the Lightning took a 3-1 lead. But the Lightning took their foot of the gas the second half of the game and let the Wild come back and eventually win the game in OT 5-4.
It was a lesson learned for the Bolts as they came out against Chicago ready to play from the opening face-off. As Ryan Callahan has said the night before in the loss to the Wild which pretty much summed up the whole feelings of the team, you can’t take a period off. We took our foot off the gas and let the Wild back in the game.
Despite being outshot 17-12 in the first period against the Blackhawks it was 1-1 tie after one.
Then the Lightning went to work putting 33 shots on goal on Chicago goalie Cam Ward and the Lightning had a 4-2 lead after 2 periods.
The 33 shots on goal in the period was a new NHL record for shots on goal in a period. A lot of these shots were not of the cheap variety, they were good quality chances. The Lightning converted 3 of those shots to take a 4-2 lead.
The Lightning continued the assault on Cam Ward in the third period putting another 11 shots on goal and putting two more in the net as the Lightning closed out Chicago 6-3.
When this team is focused they are unstoppable. That is what becomes so frustrating at times about watching this team night and night out. They just go through the motions some nights and get beat by an inferior opponent.
When the Lightning play their game where they are skating, being aggressive in the offensive zone and taking good shots at the net good things happen And they are very hard to beat.
Braydon Point continued his hot start to the season with 1G and 2A. Point now has 5 goals and has scored a point in every game so far this season.
This is the first road trip of the season for the Lightning and sometimes when you are on the road for an extended road trip, there is a coming together and team bonding occurs which can translate into a good performance on the ice.
Th season is still young and there is a lot of hockey to be played. But if the game against Chicago is any indication of how the Lightning will play the rest of the season, this is going to be another fun season to be a Lightning fan.
