Summary
The Tampa Bay Lightning improved to 8-0 at home with a convincing 4-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks, and on today's episode of Lightning Power Lunch, Dave Mishkin and Greg Linnelli break down another strong performance at Benchmark International Arena and discuss why the Lightning continue to be one of the NHL's toughest home teams to beat. The guys examine Tampa Bay's fast start, another opening-period lead, and the impact of the reunited Zemgus Girgensons-Pontus Holmberg-Ilya Mikheyev line. Mikheyev scored twice against his former team, while the line once again shut down the opposition's top offensive threat and controlled play throughout the night. They also discuss Victor Hedman's power-play goal, Andrei Vasilevskiy's 600th NHL start, the continued improvement of the Lightning power play, and why Girgensons' return may have been one of the biggest factors in Tampa Bay's success. Plus, thoughts on Yanni Gourde's expected return, the future makeup of the Lightning lineup, the continued emergence of Max Crozier, Charles-douard D'Astous, and Conor Geekie, and a preview of a challenging four-game road trip featuring stops in Minnesota, Winnipeg, Buffalo, and Columbus. Topics Discussed Lightning improve to 8-0 at home Breaking down the 4-1 win over Chicago Ilya Mikheyev scores twice against his former team Why the Girgensons-Holmberg-Mikheyev line continues to drive success Matching up against Connor Bedard and Chicago's top line Victor Hedman's power-play goal and confidence boost Andrei Vasilevskiy's 600th NHL start How the power play has turned things around Zemgus Girgensons' impact since moving to center Faceoff success and puck-possession advantages Yanni Gourde's expected return and lineup implications What happens to the forward lines when Gourde returns? Max Crozier's continued growth Charles-douard D'Astous' role on the power play Jeff Viel's heavyweight fight and physical presence Conor Geekie's development and opportunity Previewing the road trip through Minnesota, Winnipeg, Buffalo and Columbus Why the Lightning need a stronger road performance Evaluating the gap between Tampa Bay's home and road records Fan questions on lineup decisions, special teams and player development Subscribe for daily Tampa Bay Lightning coverage, game previews, postgame analysis, prospect updates, roster discussions, and exclusive interviews all season long. #TampaBayLightning #GoBolts #LightningPowerLunch #IlyaMikheyev #AndreiVasilevskiy #VictorHedman #ZemgusGirgensons #PontusHolmberg #ConorGeekie #YanniGourde #ConnorBedard #NHL #BoltsNationSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.