TAMPA, Fla. — Alex Nedeljkovic got a half a game’s worth of saves in half a period as the defending Stanley Cup champions hit the turbocharge button.
Nedeljkovic’s solid goaltending kept the Detroit Red Wings competitive in Friday’s contest at Amalie Arena, but for the second time this season the Tampa Bay Lightning used power plays to best the Wings, handing them a 3-1 loss.
Nedeljkovic was pulled with just under two minutes to play for an extra attacker, but Lucas Raymond was called for hooking with 48.6 seconds remaining. Steven Stamkos scored into an empty net with two seconds to go. Nedeljkovic finished with 35 saves. Robby Fabbri had the Wings’ goal as they (24-25-6) dipped below .500 in points percentage.
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The Bolts scored during a 15-0 shot barrage that marked the first half of the second period. Nedeljkovic had made three saves during a Tampa power play midway through the third period when Mikhail Sergachev scored with four seconds left in a penalty on Pius Suter. That gave the Bolts two power play goals on three opportunities. When the teams met in the season opener, the Lightning went 3-for-7 on power plays in coming back from a three-goal deficit.
Carter Rowney, who had scored the previous two games after coming back after being sidelined for a month-plus, left early after blocking a shot.
Bolts strike
The Wings held their own in the first period, killing a penalty to Fabbri and directing two shots on backup goalie Brian Elliott during a power play three minutes later. But they were run over in the second period, as the Bolts dominated with the puck in Detroit’s zone for the opening five minutes, looking like they had a man advantage before they actually received one at 5:09, when Vladislav Namestnikov was called for tripping. Nedeljkovic stopped four shots before one slipped into his net when Brayden Point tipped Victor Hedman’s shot from the blue line.
Fabbri pounces
The Wings can thank Nedeljkovic for only needing one goal to make it a tie game past the halfway point. Nedeljkovic had made 26 saves when the Wings scored. Rookie defenseman Moritz Seider collected his 36th assist when he fired the puck on net. Elliott got a piece of the puck, but it slid beneath him and lay temptingly loose in the paint. Fabbri got there first, diving in to knock it across the line for his 15th goal.
Rasmussen hustles
Michael Rasmussen had a scoring chance early in the first period, when he got the puck and used his long stride to get in behind Tampa’s defense, even as Pat Maroon used this stick to try to slow Rasmussen. Rasmussen skated to the net and went to his forehand, testing Elliott with a wrist shot. Rasmussen has looked more comfortable handling the puck this season, his confidence growing as his skating has improved. Rasmussen, who turns 23 in April, has centered the third line most of the season, and seen spot duty on the power play.
Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @helenestjames. Read more on the Detroit Red Wings and sign up for our Red Wings newsletter. Her book, The Big 50: The Detroit Red Wings is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Triumph Books. Personalized copies available via her e-mail.