One of the struggles has been the play of the team;s defense. The defense has allowed 30.2 shots against per game, one of the worst in the league. They have allowed 22 goals in seven games and that is the worst in the Eastern Conference. The Lightning defense has been tighter than this in the past and seems to be struggling by leaving opposing players open and leaving rebounds.
The B's had some brutal puck management issues to start the game that would contribute to a 2-0 deficit. Jake Guentzel created two turnovers that led to both goals. On the first one, the high-scoring winger picked Charlie McAvoy's pocket at the Boston blue line and the Bolts went on a quick counter-attack that resulted in an Anthony Cirelli tap-in off a Gage Goncalves pass just 1:09 into the game, Cirelli's first of two in the period.
A hipster picker's nightmare, indeed. As is tradition, I revealed my Stanley Cup selection to a member of that team while at the player media tour in Las Vegas: Me: I wanted to inform you that I'm picking you guys to win the Stanley Cup. Avalanche star Cale Makar: I appreciate that. Me: I also wanted to inform you that I'm not good at making Stanley Cup predictions. Makar: Well, we'll prove that wrong, hopefully.
Young star Connor Geekie is entering his second season with the Lightning but this season he is hopeful to break through. Th 6-foot-4 and 212-pound center played 52 games with the Lightning last season, producing eight goals and six assists for 14 points, along with one power play goal, three game-winning goals, and 97 hits. The 11th overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft by the Arizona Coyotes, he is developing into a solid player who could make an impact this season.
Ekblad stated, "Going down the wall there, I'm trying to make a hit every single time I do that. I was aiming for his chest, I caught him in the chin, and that's unfortunate. It was not my intention."
