Carolina Hurricanes shut out the Tampa Bay Lightning at home.
In a sleeper of a game against the Carolina Hurricanes on home ice on Saturday night, the Tampa Bay Lightning were shut out. Tampa Bay was only able to muster 22 shots on goal against Carolina, and their offensive output was almost nonexistent.
The Lightning have now dropped their last six home games in regulation after going winless in their opening six games of the season.
On Saturday night, the Lightning’s offensive assault lacked inspiration. Certainly a big part of it was that Nikita Kucherov was not in the starting lineup. The Lightning declared before the game on Saturday that Kucherov was sick and would not be playing.
The Lightning offense was unable to muster much of an offensive effort, making Kucherov’s absence very apparent. Most people noticed his absence during the Lightning power play. The Lightning had three power play opportunities to tie the game, but they failed to convert any of them. On the power play, Alex Barre-Boulet started in Kucherov’s place, and Brandon Hagel also had a look. Nothing could get going with either combination.
The Carolina Hurricanes game on Saturday was a demonstration of how to build a lead, limit opportunities, and play a low-key game. First on a power play in the first period and second on a delayed penalty in the second, Carolina took the lead. They are a team that enjoys taking the lead and attempting to control the game. The Hurricanes clogged the neutral zone in the second period, limiting the Lightning to just three shots on goal.
Pyotr Kochetkov made all 22 saves in goal without having to make any particularly challenging ones. Kochetkov was hardly used during the game, and Tampa Bay only managed six high-danger chances. Given that Kochetkov started the season with the Syracuse Crunch and that Carolina does not have an AHL affiliate, the shutout is noteworthy. This season, he has made all three of his starts for the Crunch and has only allowed five goals.
The only positive takeaway for the Lightning from this game is that they were able to convince Michael Bunting of Carolina to engage in combat. Erik Cernak was eliminated from the first round playoff series against Toronto by Bunting last year. In response to Tanner Jeannot’s challenge in the first two minutes of their Saturday night game, Bunting—who had fled the fight during their first encounter in October—finally responded to the code.
Strangely enough, Erik Cernak sustained an injury in this game as well. Halfway through the third quarter, he departed the game. Head coach Jon Cooper stated “he’s got to be evaluated” following the game, giving little information about his condition. Losing these guys lately has been difficult for us.
