Defensive lapses prove costly in setback
PITTSBURGH — The Lightning had to feel fortunate entering the first intermission of Sunday’s game at Pittsburgh up a goal because they were hardly playing well.
But then their evening unraveled quickly as they allowed six goals in the second period (including five in the final five minutes), turning a one-goal lead into an eventual 7-3 rout, one of the most-lopsided losses they have suffered in a long time.
The Lightning’s sloppy coverage came back to haunt them. They allowed 16 high-danger chances Saturday in Detroit, but Andrei Vasilevskiy’s A-game overcame all the Grade-A looks Tampa Bay allowed.
But Sunday in Pittsburgh they weren’t that lucky.
It wasn’t so much backup goaltender Brian Elliott as the number of times he was forced to face uncovered and uncontested shots up close. Tampa Bay gave up 18 high-danger chances in the first two periods alone.
The collapse soured a record-setting day for Nikita Kucherov, who became the quickest Lightning player to reach 700 career points, reaching the milestone in 621 games, 75 fewer than former record-holder Steven Stamkos.
Kucherov’s goal, which came in four-on-four play, gave the Lightning a 2-1 lead inside the final two minutes of the first period. He took a pass from Brayden Point, skated between the hashmarks and shot a wrister into Penguins goaltender Casey DeSmith.
Kucherov took the rebound off DeSmith’s left pad and chipped a backhand shot into the net.
After Elliott denied Bryan Rust on a shorthanded two-on-one rush with a glove save, the Lightning left Evgeni Malkin open as he exited the penalty box. Josh Archibald’s stretch pass between Ross Colton and Mikhail Sergachev gave Malkin an easy breakaway opportunity that he buried at 6:17 of the second period to tie the game.
From there, the Lightning looked lost in their own end. Sidney Crosby was left open along the back post for an easy shot on the power play with 4:32 left in the period. Fourth-line center Teddy Blueger then was the first player to the front of the net after a hard carom off the end wall to make it 4-2.
Jeff Carter had an open shot from the right circle when four Lightning players drifted to the opposite corner in a puck battle with 2:10 left in the period. The Lightning again were caught lopsided with four players on one side, and Malkin fed Jason Zucker in front. The second-period horn was the only mercy the Lightning could find as Brian Dumoulin scored with 4.2 seconds remaining in the period.
Point ended Pittsburgh’s string of goals with a power-play goal just under eight minutes into the third period. He scored from the slot on a pass from Kucherov for his teamhigh 36th goal of the season.