Ilya Mikheyev scored twice and Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 25 of 26 shots as the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-1 on Thursday at Benchmark International Arena. The win moved Tampa Bay to 10-3-2, while Chicago fell to 4-12-1.
Victor Hedman opened the scoring 4:12 into the first period on a snap shot, and Mikheyev added his first of the night later in the frame to make it 2-0 after one. The Lightning pulled away in the third period on goals from Ryan McDonagh and Mikheyev’s second before Roman Kantserov scored with 50 seconds left to spoil Vasilevskiy’s shutout bid.
Key Moments: How The Lightning Pulled Away
Tampa Bay controlled the pace from the opening shift. Hedman’s snap shot 4:12 into the game, assisted by Anthony Cirelli and Brandon Hagel, gave the Lightning an early lead they never relinquished. Mikheyev tipped in a feed from Erik Cernak and Pontus Holmberg with 1:38 left in the first period to make it 2-0.
Chicago could not solve the Lightning in the second period, and Tampa Bay buried the game in the third. Ryan McDonagh scored on a slap shot from Jake Guentzel and Brayden Point 2:38 into the final frame, then Mikheyev added his second goal of the night, a tip-in off a Cernak and Zemgus Girgensons feed, just 2:30 later. Kantserov’s tip-in with 50 seconds remaining, assisted by Sam Rinzel and Ethan Del Mastro, accounted for Chicago’s only goal.
Top Performers
Mikheyev led all skaters with two goals and finished as Tampa Bay’s point leader. Cernak recorded two assists, and McDonagh and Hedman each had a goal. Vasilevskiy made 25 saves on 26 shots for a .962 save percentage. For Chicago, Kantserov’s goal and Del Mastro’s assist topped the box score, while goaltender Arvid Soderblom stopped 31 of 35 shots.
Tampa Bay out-shot Chicago 35-26 and won 43 of 69 faceoffs for a 62.3% rate, compared to Chicago’s 37.7%. The Lightning also converted on one of three power-play chances while killing off Chicago’s lone man advantage.
What It Means
The win put Tampa Bay at 22 points in the Atlantic Division, within three of leader Boston. Chicago remained last in the Central Division with 9 points, 16 behind Minnesota.
The result also opened the season series, with Tampa Bay now leading 1-0 against the Blackhawks.
What’s Next
Chicago hosts Detroit on Saturday. Tampa Bay travels to Nashville on Sunday.
Don't stop here
Every Score. Every Story. One Home.
Breaking sports, entertainment and news from across the Total Apex network, updated all day.
Get the Full Story →
