NEWSLETTER
You’ve got to be f%*@ing kidding me.
The Chicago Blackhawks held a 2-0 lead heading into the third period, but the Tampa Bay Lightning scored two quick goals in the third period, eventually leading to free hockey, when Victor Hedman scored with 0.1 seconds remaining on the clock to win 3-2 in overtime. Unreal.
Wow, 0.1 seconds. pic.twitter.com/YsQNHSSfmR
— Scott Powers (@ByScottPowers) March 5, 2021
With that loss, Chicago sees their record on the season move to 12-7-5 with 29 points, while the Lightning improve to a six-game wining streak.
FINAL: Lightning 3, #Blackhawks 2 (OT)
Shot attempts: 76-58 CHI
Shots on goal: 37-34 CHI
5-on-5 scoring chances: 38-24 CHI
5-on-5 high danger chances: 11-3 CHI pic.twitter.com/H377yD0d1i— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) March 5, 2021
The Blackhawks are a much better team now than they were when the season began. We knew that, but we hadn’t seen it against the same team that they started the season facing. To see the domination through the first two periods for the Blackhawks was so much fun to watch. Chicago led in shots on goal (26-17), scoring chances (27-17), and shot attempts (50-32) over the Lightning through the first 40 minutes.
What a crazy goal from Ryan Carpenter! pic.twitter.com/yJHwyEyUQq
— Blackhawks Talk (@NBCSBlackhawks) March 5, 2021
Most notably, the Blackhawks ended the franchise record-setting shutout streak for Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy at 228:09 minutes. The one to end it? Ryan Carpenter. Because of course it was. Carpenter tallied a short-handed goal in the second period to open the scoring and end the shutout streak. It was the second short-handed goal for the Blackhawks this season and first allowed by the Lightning. The Blackhawks record when scoring first this season is now 9-0-2.
Alex DeBrincat added a tip-in goal to make it 2-0 in the second period, extending his point streak to seven games. The goal was the 99th in his career and his 199th career point, as well. Patrick Kane added an assist on the 2-0 goal, moving him into a tie for second in the NHL in points with 35 this season.
(Ignore the caption here, it wasn’t Kane’s goal)
That's goal # 4️⃣0️⃣1️⃣ for Patrick Kane! pic.twitter.com/towbfm02aN
— Blackhawks Talk (@NBCSBlackhawks) March 5, 2021
Tampa Bay turned the game around in the third period and dominated most of the final 20 minutes of regulation. Scoring twice in the first 2:55 minutes of the period usually helps your cause. The overtime was a full 4:59.9 of back and forth action, both teams having chances to end it and bot goalies coming up with big saves. In the end, 0.1 seconds is the difference on the final shot of the game. This was the first win of the season for the Lightning when they enter the third period trailing their opponent (previously 0-4-0).
This was a game that once again proved that the Blackhawks can now hang with any team they face. Closing out games is still in the learning process, but being able to compete for a full 60+ minute effort is something this team knows they can do. I’m not a huge fan of moral victories, but this is one of those times where you take away as many positives as you can and build upon it.
Final Thoughts
• Kevin Lankinen sees his record move to 9-3-4 on the season after making 31 saves on 34 shots. For 64:59.9, he was the better goalie tonight. No shame in that for Lankinen.
• Brandon Hagel continues to impress this season. He had a short-handed assist on the game’s opening goal and was buzzing all game. I’m surprised he has not been given an opportunity to play significant powerplay minutes the way he has been playing and creating chances as of late. He should be playing 16-18 minutes a night at this point in the season.
• Both teams scored short-handed tonight, and both teams were able to kill-off any powerplays against them. Hockey is weird like that sometimes.
