The Lightning built off the momentum of Thursday’s shutout home win over the Avalanche, starting a challenging four-game road trip by beating the Central Division-leading Stars.
Here’s what we learned from the Lightning’s 3-1 victory Saturday afternoon in Dallas:
The Lightning are resolute in the third period
The third period has been winning time for the Lightning, who won their 12th game this season when tied after two periods.
Initially, it looked like it might have been one of those days when the Lightning would look back on missed opportunities. Nikita Kucherov had an open net twice on feeds from Brayden Point, but the puck went off his stick once and he hit the post on the other. Steven Stamkos has two glorious chances, but couldn’t convert as the Lightning brought out the best in Dallas backup goaltender Scott Wedgewood.
Even though they were outshot 24-15 through two periods, the Lightning pushed in a third period that saw them gain a 15-5 shooting edge. The Stars entered the day as the league’s second-best defensive team in goal, allowing 2.53 a game, so the Lightning knew they would have to claw for two points.
And after dominating in zone time throughout the final period, Victor Hedman wrapped around the back of the net and put the puck into the paint, where Anthony Cirelli was able to push his stick through two Dallas bodies to send the puck into the back of the net with 43.2 seconds left.
Hedman became the fifth active defenseman to reach 500 career assists. Brandon Hagel’s empty-netter as time expired gave him three goals in his past two games.
We have our popcorn ready for Anthony Cirelli
Cirelli’s value can’t be measured by how many goals he scores, and his strong forechecking games give him his share of open offensive opportunities, but he’s long been snake-bitten on the breakaway.
But when Cirelli found himself in open ice after taking a feed from Hagel, he mad a magnificent forehand-to-backhand move to tuck the puck past Wedgewood for the game’s first goal in the second period.
With Cirelli flanked by strong forecheckers Hagel and Alex Killorn, his line has become a game changer, especially when tasked with matching up against the opponent’s top lines. And they’re the perfect example of strong defense leading to offensive opportunities. Look back no further than the win over Colorado, when that line was responsible for two of the team’s three 5-on-5 goals.
Cirelli’s second-period goal was his first in seven games. But his offensive game is starting to show. He had two assists against Colorado and has 21 shots over his last nine matchups, and his final-minute game-winning goal Saturday gave him his first multi-goal game since Nov. 21, 2021, against Minnesota.
Andrei Vasilevskiy still lives in the Stars’ nightmares
Vasilevskiy has owned Dallas over the years, including posting a .911 save percentage and a series-clinching shutout against the Stars in the 2020 Stanley Cup Final in the Edmonton bubble.
But Vasilevskiy entered the afternoon having won seven of his last nine starts against the Stars, with a .946 save percentage and 1.31 goals-against average.
Vasilevskiy withstood an early surge in a fast-paced first period. He made 12 saves in the opening 20 minutes, none bigger than when he extended his left pad out to deny Jani Hakanpaa’s rebound attempt after Roope Hintz’s initial shot hit off the post.
He faced 52 shot attempts in the first two periods before the Lightning locked down their own end in the third, and the only goal he allowed — Jamie Benn’s score with 7:42 left in the second — came following a turnover. Vasilevskiy held the Stars scoreless in 6:45 of short-handed time.
In 18 career games against Dallas, Vasilevskiy is 13-2-3.
Coming off his first shutout of the season against Colorado, he has stopped 58 of the last 59 shots he has faced.
