The Ducks dropped their first four games of the season, only to pick up a win over the Minnesota Wild, and then drop the next five games in a row.
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Goalie Ben Bishop was sterling in the net picking up his first shutout of the season, center Steven Stamkos was a force on offense and the Tampa Bay Lightning looked like it might have finally turned a corner. A few months later, the Ducks won their only Stanley Cup title.
After a scoreless first period, the Lightning took control in the second period.
“We’ve been feeling better about our game lately”, Stamkos said. However Tampa Bay ended up with more scoring chances over the whole course of the game 33-28 as the teams each created 12 high danger chances. He scored within a 1:14 span in the second period, once at even strength and the other on the power play. “We’ve got to find a way to build something where we’re finding a way to play the right way all time”.
Tampa Bay led the National Hockey League with 259 goals last season for a 3.16 per-game average but it is just 24 so far in 2015-16, averaging 2.29 per game.
Frederik Andersen (4-6-4, 2.37 GAA, .921 SV%) makes his third consecutive start as he bounced back with 24 saves against Florida after getting pulled in the second period in Nashville. “Back-to-back-to-back goals. We’ve just got to figure out a way… we gave up a goal, it’s not the end of the world, it’s just one goal and we’re a good team and can come back”.
“It’s pretty nice. It was a lot of fun”, said Bishop, often a victim this season of a lack of goal support. Stamkos and Kucherov, who had two assists, set up the Marchessault goal.
Tampa Bay struck again when Anaheim lost the puck just outside the zone and right wing Ryan Callahan poked the puck away to Stamkos.
The injury does not appear to be serious as Lindholm skated with scratches Nate Thompson (shoulder) and Michael Sgarbossa (healthy) after most of his teammates left the ice following the optional morning skate.
NOTES: Bishop is 5-0-1 against the Ducks….
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Anaheim returns to southern California to play seven of the next eight at Honda Center, beginning with the Calgary Flames visiting on Tuesday at 7 PM. Lightning RW Ryan Callahan returned after missing one game with a lower body injury and had an assist….
