TAMPA, Fla. – The Tampa Bay Lightning’s undefeated start at AMALIE Arena came to an end Thursday night as they fell 4-2 to the Minnesota Wild. Despite a strong start and outshooting their opponent, the Lightning couldn’t maintain their momentum and ultimately succumbed to a determined Wild squad.
The Lightning started strong, dominating the first period with a 12-5 shot advantage. However, the Wild struck first, with Kirill Kaprizov scoring the opening goal. The Lightning answered back in the second period with a shorthanded goal from Brandon Hagel and a go-ahead goal from Nikita Kucherov, extending his season-opening point streak to seven games.
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Unfortunately for the home team, the Wild responded with three unanswered goals to secure the victory. Kaprizov added another goal, while Joel Eriksson Ek and Matt Boldy also found the back of the net for Minnesota.
Statistical Overview
Despite the loss, the Lightning continued their trend of outshooting opponents, firing 25 shots on goal compared to the Wild’s 18. However, they struggled on the power play, failing to convert on their single opportunity while the Wild capitalized on one of their four power plays.
Upcoming Schedule
The Lightning will look to bounce back from this loss as they continue their homestand, facing the Washington Capitals on Saturday and the Nashville Predators on Monday. They then hit the road for games against the Colorado Avalanche, Minnesota Wild, and Winnipeg Jets.
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Individual Highlights
- Brandon Hagel scored his sixth goal of the season and the third shorthanded goal of his career.
- Anthony Cirelli continued his strong playmaking with an assist, bringing his season total to eight.
- Erik Cernak tallied his third point of the season with an assist on Hagel’s goal.
- Nikita Kucherov extended his impressive scoring streak with a goal, putting him just four games away from tying his career-best 11-game point streak to start a season.
- Nick Paul and Nick Perbix also contributed assists for the Lightning.
Despite the loss, the Lightning showed flashes of their offensive firepower and will aim to regain their winning form.
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