Head coach Jon Cooper anticipated a tough challenge Tuesday night against Minnesota, and early on, it unfolded that way. The Wild set the tone, with Mats Zuccarello opening the scoring on the power play before Brock Faber added another with the man advantage. The Lightning found themselves in a 2–0 hole early.
The matchup carried the intensity of a playoff game: two of the league’s top teams trading momentum with a pair of fights and a physical edge throughout the night.
Corey Perry dropped the gloves first with Michael McCarron, and not long after Scott Sabourin squared off with Nick Foligno. Both made their way back to the Lightning bench with blood on their faces, providing a spark the team needed.
“Those two guys standing up for our team, what they did in the first, I think that really got the crowd into it and it kind of brought us all into the fight,” said Jake Guentzel. “So a lot of credit goes to those two guys.”
Defenseman Darren Raddysh had a three-point night, scoring his 20th goal of the season on the power play. The goal tied the franchise record for most scored by a defenseman in a single season, matching captain Victor Hedman and Dan Boyle.
“I don't know how he does it,” Erik Cernak said of Raddysh. “Obviously, he's had a great year. He's playing unbelievable for us. He's been through some stuff, so I'm really, really happy for him and he definitely deserves all of that."
© Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn ImagesThe Lightning showed fight, and it carried them throughout the game. In the final minutes with the score tied at three, Charle-Edouard D’Astous sent the puck the length of the ice from the goal line toward Minnesota goaltender Filip Gustavsson, who misplayed it, allowing it to slip between his legs and roll into the crease.
Cernak sped in with a shot that perfectly hit the back of the net, shattering the middle camera on it's way in. The game briefly continued with a 3-on-1 the other way, but after review, the Lightning were given their first lead of the night with 2:53 remaining in regulation.
“Eventually, one of those you’re hoping goes your way, and tonight, it did,” said Cooper. “And Cerny didn’t give up on that play, he was flying in there. So when you’re doing that, you put a little pressure on the goaltender, and we got the lucky break, and it went in."
The Lightning closed out a 6-3 victory, marking wins in four of their last five games. They sit just two points behind the Buffalo Sabres for second place in the Atlantic Division.