Nov 14, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Brandon Hagel (38) shoots as Winnipeg Jets defenseman Neal Pionk (4) defends throughout the first interval at Amalie Area. Obligatory Credit score: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Pictures The Tampa Bay Lightning abruptly discovered their mojo Monday night time towards the Colorado Avalanche and can look to maintain the offense thriving after they host the Washington Capitals Wednesday night time.
Lightning coach Jon Cooper had been overtly vital of his group’s overpassing and highlight-reel setups over two winless video games (0-1-1), however he certainly had no drawback Monday when the puck discovered its manner onto the stick of Brandon Hagel.
Recognized extra for his pace and scoring, Hagel set a franchise file with 4 assists within the first interval — tying an NHL file for that whole in a gap body –in his membership’s 8-2 rout of the Avalanche.
Then he added a fifth helper on the second’s lone aim, a snipe by Brayden Level for his team-leading seventh on the ability play.
The 5 assists for a sport matched the franchise mark held by Mark Recchi, Martin St. Louis and teammate Darren Raddysh.
And the very best praise of all of them?
“I feel (Nikita Kucherov) requested if I used to be Bobby Orr after the primary interval, and I am removed from it. However I will take that,” Hagel stated after the Atlantic Division group matched its excessive mark for targets scored this yr.
In all, it was a stunning show by Tampa Bay, which moved to 4-1-1 in its previous six video games however had lately stumbled.
Nick Perbix, Jake Guentzel and Kucherov all scored within the sport’s first 10:03, chasing beginning goaltender Justus Annunen because the Colorado crease grew to become a netminding turnstile. Alexandar Georgiev allowed three extra earlier than the teaching employees determined it wanted to relaxation him. Then Annunen returned and yielded third-period targets to Guentzel and Michael Eyssimont.
The Lightning have been with out Nick Paul for the third straight sport. Cooper stated at morning skate the membership could be with out the productive ahead for the remainder of the week.
Down in South Florida, the Washington Capitals confirmed they may truly win with out one of many sport’s premier scorers, Alex Ovechkin (damaged leg).
Goaltender Logan Thompson was stellar in internet with 20 saves to enhance to 9-1-1, whereas Lars Eller scored twice and Jakob Chychrun posted a aim and two assists as Washington handed the Florida Panthers their sixth defeat in seven video games, 4-1 in Dawn.
Washington dictated play a lot of the night time, because it hemmed the defending Stanley Cup champions into their very own finish by being one step forward and relentless on the puck, continually protecting strain on Florida goalie Spencer Knight.
That ultimately paid off with the power-play aim from Chychrun, a local of Boca Raton, simply half-hour north of the Panthers’ enviornment, for the game-winner in a 3rd interval that impressed Washington coach Spencer Carbery.
“I assumed the third interval was our greatest interval by far, beginning with the ability play to get us the lead there,” Carbery stated. “We utterly locked it down and carried the vast majority of the play within the third.
“I used to be actually pleased with that third interval. That is obtained to be what it seems to be like.”
The victory was the primary in three tries with Ovechkin absent from the lineup for Washington. Wednesday marks the Caps’ second of six away contests over an eight-game span.
–Discipline Degree Media
