• HOME
  • NHL Teams
    • North Division
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • East Division
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Central Division
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • Dallas Stars
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Nashville Predators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
    • West Division
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Arizona Coyotes
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • Minnesota Wild
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • NHL Prospects
  • World Juniors
  • Archives
  • Podcast Network
  • More…
    • CHL
      • Ontario Hockey League
      • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
      • Western Hockey League
    • Columns
    • Women’s Hockey
    • Other Leagues
    • NHL Entry Draft
    • Books
    • NHL History
  • Log in
The Hockey Writers
  • Site Index
  • NHL Salary Caps
  • Hockey 101: A Beginner’s Guide
  • Join Our Team
  • Free Newsletter
  • Store
  • Log in
The Hockey Writers
  • HOME
  • NHL Teams
    • North Division
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • East Division
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Central Division
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • Dallas Stars
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Nashville Predators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
    • West Division
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Arizona Coyotes
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • Minnesota Wild
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • NHL Prospects
  • World Juniors
  • Archives
  • Podcast Network
  • More…
    • CHL
      • Ontario Hockey League
      • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
      • Western Hockey League
    • Columns
    • Women’s Hockey
    • Other Leagues
    • NHL Entry Draft
    • Books
    • NHL History
Home
Tampa Bay Lightning

Lightning Passed First ‘Test’, but Many More Follow

By Steven DiOssi November 2nd, 2016

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp

If Tuesday night’s game against the New York Islanders was a test, the Tampa Bay Lightning certainly passed.

Jon Cooper

Jon Cooper challenged his team after Sunday’s loss to the New York Rangers. (Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports)

After dropping the team’s third straight game on Sunday — a 6-1 loss dominated by the New York Rangers in Madison Square Garden — head coach Jon Cooper called how the Lightning would respond “a test” just nine games into 2016-17.

Passing the ‘Test’

From the opening faceoff at Barclays Center, the Lightning looked like a different team than the one who played less than six miles away two nights before. They controlled the puck and dictated the play early, tallying three goals, including two on the power play, in the first 13:34 of the game. It was just the second time the team had scored in the first period all season long.

The Lightning also looked stronger defensively — a sharp contrast from their game against the Rangers. Slater Koekkoek made his season debut and registered two assists and was a plus-two in 13:12 of ice time. Ben Bishop was largely untested early in the contest, but made some big stops during the game and finished with 26 saves on 27 shots.

“Sometimes it just takes a spark,” Steven Stamkos said after the game, according to the Tampa Bay Times’ Joe Smith. “It takes an embarrassing loss or a tough stretch. You’re going to have tough stretches like that. It’s how you can respond to that. In the scheme of it, it’s one game. But it was what we wanted.”

The victory was just one game in an 82-game season, but brought the Lightning back into second place in the Atlantic Division with a 6-4-0 record. More importantly, it could be the sort of performance the Lightning needed before they play four of their next five games at home.

The Importance of the 1-Month Mark

The next five games will bring the Lightning to the one-month mark of 2016-17  — an important milestone in the NHL during the regular season and one that can be a good indicator of a team’s trajectory in any given year.

Nikita Kucherov, right, had four points in Tuesday's game. (Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports)

Nikita Kucherov, right, had four points in Tuesday’s game. (Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports)

TSN’s Bob McKenzie talked about the importance of the first month of the season for an NHL team during his podcast, TSN Hockey’s Bobcast, on Friday.

“Pay no attention to anything that happens in the first two weeks of the regular season, because it very well could be a mirage,” McKenzie said. “Now, after three weeks, take note of what’s happened, and after the fourth week, book it. What you see, with most teams anyway, is what you get.”

McKenzie added that there are obvious exceptions to this — using the Montreal Canadiens’ hot start to 2015-16 and the season-ending injury to goaltender Carey Price that put them out of the playoffs by season’s end, as an example.

For the most part, however, a team’s performance during the first month is a fairly reliable indicator of where they will be at the end of the regular season.

“Anecdotally speaking, six or seven (teams) in each conference that are in a playoff spot after four weeks, usually end up there at the end of the year,” McKenzie said.

The Next 5 Games

The Lightning will face tough opponents in each of the team’s next five games, but must take advantage of the opportunity to play four of those games on home ice. Here’s a look at the road ahead as the team approaches an important part of this young season.

Nov. 3 — vs. Boston Bruins

Brad Marchand's 11 points lead the Bruins. (Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports)

Brad Marchand’s 11 points lead the Bruins. (Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports)

The Boston Bruins come to Tampa on Thursday in a battle between Atlantic Division teams that have built-up somewhat of a rivalry dating back to the 2011 Eastern Conference Final. The Bruins enter the contest with a 5-4-0 record and are fifth in the Atlantic Division.

They have battled injuries to starting goaltender Tuukka Rask and star forward Patrice Bergeron early in the season, among others, but Rask is back in the lineup and playing well. Thursday’s game will also mark the return of forward David Pastrnak after serving a two-game suspension. It will be important for the Lightning to come out of the gate strong, as the Bruins play a physical style and a Lightning win would give the team some momentum moving forward.

Nov. 5 — vs. New Jersey Devils

Cory Schneider is off to hot start to the season. (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Cory Schneider is off to a hot start to the season. (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

The Lightning will host the New Jersey Devils on Saturday in the third contest between the clubs just 12 games into the season. The teams have split the first two games, as the Lightning took the first one 3-2 at home on Oct. 15, but lost to the Devils 3-1 on Oct. 29.

The Devils made waves this offseason when they sent defenseman Adam Larsson to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for forward Taylor Hall. Through eight games this season, Hall has tallied five goals and leads the Devils with seven points.

The X-factor for the Devils is starting goaltender Cory Schneider. The 30-year-old has started seven games and is 4-2-1 with a 1.86 goals against average and a .941 save percentage. Schneider stopped 32 of 33 shots he faced and he has been a key to the team’s 4-2-2 start to 2016-17. The Lightning must test Schneider often (i.e., 30-plus shots) because anything less will make beating the Devils tough.

Nov. 7 — vs. Florida Panthers

The Lightning will make the short trip down to Sunrise to face the Florida Panthers for the second time this season.

Jonathan Marchessault has been a major contributor in the early going for the Panthers. (Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports)

Jonathan Marchessault signed with the Panthers this summer to receive more playing time. (Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports)

The Panthers have quickly put together one of the best teams in the Atlantic Division, despite currently sitting seventh in the Atlantic Division with a 4-5-0 record. The team has a strong mix of young players and character veterans and has also seen significant contributions early on from former Lightning forward, Jonathan Marchessault, who signed with the Panthers as a free agent this offseason.

During their first matchup on Oct. 18, the two teams played each other well, but the Panthers took a 3-2 lead during a strong third period. Stamkos netted the game-tying goal with just six seconds left to play and rookie Brayden Point scored the game-winner in the sixth round of the shootout. It was a big win for the Lightning, as it gave the team its second straight 3-0 start to a season.

The Lightning and Panthers have long dubbed these games as a rivalry, and although they have played good games, it never fully came to life because neither team was very competitive at the same time as the other. Fast forward to the present day, however, and these games have become everything the franchises hoped they would become.

Nov. 10 — vs. New York Islanders

jimmy Vesey

John Tavares and the Islanders will bounce back from Tuesday’s game. (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

The Islanders will come to Tampa to faceoff against the Lightning and will be playing with something to prove after their performance on home ice on Tuesday. The Islanders are off to a 4-6-0 start to the season, but are a better team than their early record reflects.

The Lightning played the Islanders in the 2016 Stanley Cup playoffs — the Isles’ first appearance in the second round of the postseason since 1993 — and they expect to build off of that this season. The Islanders have struggled early on as they have juggled goaltending duties between Jaroslav Halak and Thomas Greiss. After Halak’s agent questioned the team’s approach earlier this season, the netminder is now considered to be on the trading block.

If the Lightning can replicate the sort of play they had on Tuesday, this will be a tough game for the Islanders, but expect a much better game from captain John Tavares and his team this time around.

Nov. 12 — vs. San Jose Sharks

Joe Pavelski and the Sharks are one of the best teams in the NHL. (BridgetDS/Flickr)

Joe Pavelski and the Sharks are one of the best teams in the NHL. (BridgetDS/Flickr)

The San Jose Sharks are out to a 6-4-0 start after falling to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2016 Stanley Cup Final. The Sharks and Lightning will meet for the first of two games during the regular season and it will be a good opportunity for the Lightning to face one of the top teams in the Western Conference.

The Sharks have their sights set on a return to the Stanley Cup Final and are among a small handful of teams that are early favorites to get there. The Lightning have similar expectations in the Eastern Conference, which will help to make this game a great matchup between two teams that do not play each other often.

Sharks forward Joe Pavelski leads the team with 11 points and defenseman Brent Burns is playing some of the best hockey of his career in the last year of his contract. The Sharks play a fast-paced style like the Lightning and boast one of the best defensive units in the league. This will be a big test for the Lightning just 15 games into the season.

Passing More ‘Tests’

Ben Bishop, Tampa Bay Lightning, NHL, Flames Targeting Ben Bishop

Ben Bishop will be an important part of this five-game stretch. (Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports)

The Lightning were able to overcome the Islanders on Tuesday and finish a six-game road trip with a 3-3 record. They got there on Tuesday by doing the things that make them one of the league’s top teams — playing a fast-paced style that dictates the play, scoring a couple of power play goals and putting together 60 good minutes of hockey. The team also controlled the puck which lead to registering 37 shots on goal. These are all things they will need to continue to do as they look to be at the top of the Atlantic Division at the one-month mark of the season.

A strong start to the first 30 days of the season is hardly a guarantee of what is to come, but it can be a fairly reliable sign of where a team is headed. The Lightning passed the first test on Tuesday, but there are many more to come.

 

  • Tags
  • Bob McKenzie
  • Jon Cooper
  • Steven Stamkos
  • Top Story
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp

Get theScore App Now!
Recent Posts
Jan 19th 10:45 AM
Column

Maple Leafs News & Rumors: Andersen, Marner, Spezza & Robertson

Jan 19th 10:35 AM
Philadelphia Flyers

Couturier’s Injury Results in Opportunity for Flyers’ Young Talent

Jan 19th 10:25 AM
Montreal Canadiens

Canadiens Fans & Media Need to Give Drouin His Due

Jan 19th 10:15 AM
All-Star Weekend

1991 NHL All-Star Game & the Gulf War: The Modern NHL in a Time of War

Jan 19th 10:05 AM
Edmonton Oilers

4 Takeaways From the Oilers’ 3-1 Loss to the Canadiens

Jan 19th 9:55 AM
Los Angeles Kings

Kings’ Jeff Carter Playing Much Better After Surgery

Jan 19th 9:45 AM
Toronto Maple Leafs

Maple Leafs’ Takeaways: Andersen’s Back, a New Marner and More D

Jan 19th 9:35 AM
Minnesota Wild

Wild Get Much-Needed Intangibles & Experience With Bonino

Jan 19th 9:25 AM
Colorado Avalanche

Avalanche Look to Gain Momentum on California Road Trip

Jan 19th 9:15 AM
NHL Goaltending

Senators Can Be Optimistic With Comfortable & Confident Murray in Net

Editor’s Picks
World Junior Championship All-Time Leading Scorers

World Junior Championship All-Time Leading Scorers

2021 Guide To the World Junior Championship

2021 Guide To the World Junior Championship

Masthead

Newsletters

RSS Feeds

Privacy Statement

Contact Us

About THW…

Founded in 2009, The Hockey Writers is a premier destination for news and information on everything hockey. Updated daily with news and features from over 130 writers worldwide. Over 2 million monthly readers now come to THW for their hockey fix.

© The Hockey Writers 2020. All rights reserved.
logo
  • HOME
  • Hockey Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • North Division
    • Calgary Flames
    • Edmonton Oilers
    • Montreal Canadiens
    • Ottawa Senators
    • Toronto Maple Leafs
    • Vancouver Canucks
    • Winnipeg Jets
  • East Division
    • Boston Bruins
    • Buffalo Sabres
    • New Jersey Devils
    • New York Islanders
    • New York Rangers
    • Philadelphia Flyers
    • Pittsburgh Penguins
    • Washington Capitals
  • Central Division
    • Carolina Hurricanes
    • Chicago Blackhawks
    • Columbus Blue Jackets
    • Dallas Stars
    • Detroit Red Wings
    • Florida Panthers
    • Nashville Predators
    • Tampa Bay Lightning
  • West Division
    • Anaheim Ducks
    • Arizona Coyotes
    • Colorado Avalanche
    • Los Angeles Kings
    • Minnesota Wild
    • San Jose Sharks
    • Seattle Kraken
    • St Louis Blues
    • Vegas Golden Knights
  • World Juniors
  • CHL
    • Ontario Hockey League
    • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
    • Western Hockey League
  • THW Podcast Network
  • Store
  • FREE Newsletter
  • Search THW
  • More…
    • Join Our Team
    • The THW Archives
    • Prospects
    • The Goalie Page
    • NHL Salary Cap Information