Darren Raddysh Just Broke a Lightning Record and Tampa Bay Isn't Stopping Anytime Soon
Darren Raddysh did something no defenseman in Tampa Bay history has done before: he scored 21 goals in a single season. On Saturday night against Boston, the Lightning defenseman netted the game-winner late in the third period to break a tie with Victor Hedman and cap off a dominant 3-1 win over the Bruins at home.
This wasn't some forgettable regular season win either. The Lightning just locked up their ninth consecutive playoff spot before the puck even dropped, after the Detroit Red Wings and Ottawa Senators lost earlier in the day. Then they went out and proved why they belong with a three-goal third period explosion that showed exactly who owns the Atlantic Division right now.
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Raddysh's milestone goal came with over five minutes left in regulation, a sharp-angle shot from the bottom of the right circle that bounced off the inside of Jeremy Swayman's arm and in. That's the 21st of the season for the Lightning defenseman in what has been nothing short of a career year. D'Astous tied things up 2:11 into the third, and then Raddysh's go-ahead goal turned the whole game on its head. Nikita Kucherov sealed it with an empty-netter at 18:27 to make it final.
Tampa Bay finished their seven-game homestand 5-1-1, and they're sitting at 48-22-6 with 102 points. Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy was sharp, stopping 21 shots. The Bruins got one from Casey Mittelstadt at 6:47 of the second period, but Swayman's 20 saves weren't enough to keep up with the Lightning's surge in the final frame.
Boston's Road Trip Stumbles in Florida
The Bruins are now 0-2-0 on their four-game road trip after losing both matches in Florida. Mittelstadt's tally was the only answer Boston could muster against a Lightning team that controlled the tempo, especially down the stretch. This could be a preview of a first-round matchup between these Atlantic Division rivals come playoff time.
Next up for Tampa Bay: keeping this momentum rolling. The Lightning have made the playoffs for nine straight years, and nights like this remind you why they're a team built to win when it matters.
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