3 Takeaways from the Lightning’s Unsuccessful Weekend – Hockey Writers – Tampa Bay Lightning

After an impressive three-game winning streak, the Tampa Bay Lightning dropped back-to-back losses to the Minnesota Wild and the Winnipeg Jets on the road over the weekend. Besides being the two best teams in the NHL this season, they set the benchmark for where the Bolts should be to compete for the Stanley Cup.

Related: Wild Drop Lightning 5-3 in Strong Third Period

Although it’s still early in the season, the Lightning have had their ups and downs through their first 12 games. After all, Tampa Bay was the biggest question mark following all the offseason changes. That said, here’s a look at the most important takeaways from the last two games.

Lightning Trainees Put Vasilevskiy’s Health First

Fans may have been confused when they saw Jonas Johansson get his first start against a top team in the NHL on Sunday afternoon in Winnipeg. However, it was a smart move by the coaching staff. Unlike previous seasons, Vasilevskiy needs less work, especially given his age and injuries from last season. So, the team turned to its 6-foot-5 backup to face the Jets.

Johansson went 4-of-5 on 27 shots for a .852 save percentage (Sv%) per NaturalStatTrick. In addition, he posted an above-expected 1.98 goals against in a 7-4 loss. He allowed two high-danger goals, a medium-danger goal, and a low-danger goal. Although it wasn’t his best performance, it was good for Johansson to get a challenging game. Getting started will boost his confidence and prepare him in case of injury.

Nick Paul Struggles Without Brandon Hagel and Anthony Cirelli

Before rookie Conor Geekie jumped into a top-six role the last few games, the Lightning had Nick Paul play on the right side alongside Brandon Hagel and Anthony Cirelli. The line was very successful at controlling the puck at five-on-five and was one of the most dominant lines in the NHL during the first few games of the season. However, Paul was demoted back to the third line, where his five-for-five numbers started to look like last season.

Over the course of two games against the Wild and Jets, Paul had an 18.58 expected field goal percentage (xGF%) at five-on-five, which ranked lowest on the list. In addition, his 33.62 shots on ice percentage (SF%) ranked last on the team. In other words, with Paul on the ice, the Lightning gave up two shots on the one that produced. As management begins to think about offseason acquisitions, a third-line scorer should be at the top of Tampa Bay’s list.

Conor Geekie Leads Jon Cooper’s Trust

Head Coach Jon Cooper hasn’t had a rookie as valuable as Geekie in a long time. The Lightning have spent much of their draft money on late acquisitions in recent years. However, the organization received its best hope in many years from the trade of Mikhail Sergachev. Geekie has already been in a second-line role with Hagel and Cirelli, and he’s been stellar.

Cooper’s reliance on the rookie for his defensive use is surprising. Geekie started 15.62% of his shifts in the defensive zone (DZ%) over the two-game weekend via EvolvingHockey. In addition, he continues to create a case for the inclusion of a controlled area in the workbook of microstats. He looks like a star of tomorrow in blue and white.

Upcoming Lightning Schedule

The Lightning continue their Central Division road trip on Tuesday night against the St. Louis Blues (Nov. 5). Then, following Thursday night’s home game against the Philadelphia Flyers (Nov. 7), the team has a week off until their matchup with the Jets at Amalie Arena (Nov. 14). The Bolts will look to get back on track after a strong October. The new additions of Jake Guentzel and JJ Moser fit in nicely as the Lightning franchise transitions into a new era.