The Bolts Woes Continue In Minnesota

By Tyler Santana

Overview

The Bolts came into this game to start a long road trip that will be briefly separated by the All Star Game break. The Bolts have had some bad games recently and seem to be in a funk, not looking like that team from the start of the year with almost inhuman goaltending and a lethal offense. This game was not what the Bolts needed as the wild built a 3-0 lead over Tampa and used it to cruise to a 5-2 win. The defense was sloppy, and Andrei Vasilevskiy couldn’t bail the team out on open slot shots and had maybe one or two he’d like to have back.

 

1^st Period

The game starts off with back and forth play between the teams with the Bolts generating some very good chances. A big hit by Ryan Callahan popped the cork off the physical game as both sides started to ramp their aggressiveness up, a bit unusual for teams in opposite conferences. The Bolts did a good job blocking shots and not letting the wild, well run wild in their defensive zone. However, about halfway through the period, the game started to tilt in the favor of the Wild. The Bolts took their first penalty of the game and lost the initial draw which Jared Spurgeon hammered from the point, knuckling past Andrei Vasilevskiy’s blocker and finding the net to give the Wild the lead 1-0. From there the Wild poured it on, controlling the puck in the offensive zone and keeping the Bolts from dangerous chances. With 2:36 left in the period, Zach Parise tipped a puck from the point and got a piece of Vasilevskiy’s blocker. The Bolts would challenge the goal call on the grounds of goalie interference, but lost the challenge. The period would end 2-0 without much more action.

Shot 10-6 Wild

2-0 Wild

 

2^nd Period

Minnesota carried their momentum over from the first period, relentlessly throwing pucks on Vasilevskiy. The Bolts tried their best, throwing their bodies in front of pucks and creating turnovers, but Devan Dubnyk stood solid in the net, turning everything away. The physicality continued as both sides looked to flatten the other side with the physical game, and maybe provide a little spark for our struggling Bolts. Then about 7:30 into the period, the Bolts made a bad change and lost their coverage, allowing Nate Prosser to walk in from the blue line and put one short side on Vasilevskiy, who lost his post and opened a hole past his glove on the short side. The Bolts seemed lost and unable to pull themselves from an ever-growing hole that threatened to swallow them up. Then, the hole stopped growing, the Bolts tightened up, Vasilevskiy seemed a bit calmer, and the boys just started skating, they started shooting. They generated opportunities, and broke the seal when Brayden Point put one past Dubnyk to get the Bolts on the board. The period would end after a few more chances for the Bolts, and they would go into the third trailing by two.

Shots 21-12 Wild

3-1 Wild

 

3^rd Period

The Bolts started put very strong, holding the puck in the offensive zone and getting good shots on net, but Dubnyk wouldn’t budge. Every line clicked, they were getting offensive zone time and being physical. Then, out of nowhere, a simple puck behind the net gets tapped to the front where Marcus Foligno was wide open, and beats Vasilevskiy glove side to extend Minnesota’s lead to 4-1. Tampa Bay got an opportunity as tow wild players took penalties at the same time, giving the Bolts a 5 on 3 powerplay. Brayden Point capitalized beating Dubnyk for the second time on the night. Minnesota’s challenge failed, and the Lightning pulled back within 2. This seemed to really ignite the Lightning, who pushed hard against Minnesota, who could only throw pucks out of their zone to try and stop the onslaught. The Bolts were throwing everything and the kitchen sink and every other sink they could find, but it seemed like Minnesota’s skaters were blocking shots in every shooting lane there was. Despite the constant offensive zone pressure, an empty netter with a minute left sealed the Lightning’s fate.

Shots 35-23 Wild

5-2 Loss to Minnesota

 

Three Stars

1^st Star: Nate Prosser (1G)

2^nd Star: Matt Cullen (1A)

3^rd Star: Joel Eriksson Ek (1A)

 

Next game Monday the 22^nd in Chicago.

 

Final Thoughts:

This team is still a great team. However, they have relied to heavily on Vasilevskiy this whole season, even when Victor Hedman was healthy. If this team wants to make a deep run in the playoffs, not even talking about hoisting the Cup, winning divisions or a President’s Trophy, if they don’t want to be laughed out of the playoffs this team needs to start defending in front of Vasilevskiy and at the very least not leave several players wide open for goals in the slot.