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Pre-Scout: Lightning have found their stride after slow start
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Photo credit: © Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Michael Menzies
Nov 20, 2025, 11:00 ESTUpdated: Nov 20, 2025, 10:38 EST
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After a poor start, the Tampa Bay Lightning have returned to their usual selves. Taking care of a wounded New Jersey Devils team on Tuesday, the Bolts have won nine of their last twelve hockey games. 
That places them flirting with a playoff spot again, a 10-7-2 record, and back to where one would expect. 
Jake Guentzel saw the hats fly to the ice thanks to his hat-trick, to help uplift a team that was missing some key pieces. 
“It’s nice when you get off to a lead early, and it’s a full 60-minute game,” Guentzel said. “It’s a good effort from everyone, and hopefully we can build on this one.”
Over the weekend, TB played the Florida Panthers for the first time since the pre-season brawls. It was somewhat quieter, save for a Kucherov flail, but the Lightning won it 3-1. 

Injuries

While the Oilers have a claim for injuries hampering them, the Lightning would argue they have it worse. 
Nick Paul and Ryan McDonagh are on the IR. Victor Hedman and Erik Cernak are day-to-day. They’ve been without Pontus Holmberg. Anthony Cirelli just returned on Tuesday. Tampa Bay has been banged up big-time. 
Heck, even head coach Jon Cooper wasn’t on the bench, citing “personal reasons.” Assistant coach Jeff Halpern took the reins in his stead. 
Without some of those premier players, the backend is devoid of NHL experience. JJ Moser and Darren Raddysh have become the top pair, with Charle-Edouard D’astous, Emil Lilleberg, Declan Carlile, and Steven Santini in the bottom-four D. That’s no Murder’s Row, but they held the Devils to just one goal earlier this week. 

Point and lack thereof

Brayden Point has scored 51, 46, and 42 goals, respectively, in the past three seasons. So far, he has three goals. 
The Team Canada lock is fortunate that Doug Armstrong is so fond of him, because otherwise, there would be a real threat that he wouldn’t make it, especially if it’s true that only one of Macklin Celebrini and Connor Bedard will make it. 
A player of his calibre will surely get going, but right now, he’s struggling to find his usual self. 
Andrei Vasilevsky, too, has shaken off a slow start. Yes, he did get yanked against the Rangers on Nov. 12, but otherwise he’s won four of his last five starts. His save percentage is .906, which isn’t stellar, but is solid in today’s NHL. 

Special teams

The Lightning’s offence, by and large, is in the bottom half of the league, but their expected goal share percentage is 54.67%, which suggests elements of stronger play are to come. 
The Penalty Kill has looked strong with an 85.7 per cent success rate, which is top-five in the NHL. 
The Powerplay, however, with the talent at their disposal, has room to improve. Sitting at 17.7 per cent, one would anticipate a Nikita Kucherov heater could ratchet up the success. 
Last year’s Art Ross Trophy winner doesn’t appear to be in contention this time with 9-9–18. But one of these stretches, he’s bound to explode back to his usual pace. 
Guentzel’s pair of PP goals helps show signs that the Lightning’s PP could be on the mend. 

Notes:

  • Nikita Kucherov just surpassed Martin St. Louis for third-most goals in franchise history. He is 17 behind Vincent Lecavalier for second. 
  • Oliver Bjorkstrand has been quiet this year, with 1-6–7, but one has to think the freakish and life-threatening injury he suffered could be part of it. 
  • After the April 11 game, right before the playoffs, Bjorkstrand underwent emergency surgery to rectify a condition called compartment syndrome. He thought it was a charley horse, but when the pain didn’t go allow, team staff whisked him into the ER, where the surgery alleviated the heightened pressure around the muscle and released some of the pooled blood. If not for the speedy catch, it could’ve been an even more arduous rehab or even worse. 
  • In the last 10 straight-up vs. the Lightning, Edmonton is 4-6. Trips to Tampa Bay tend to fare worse, as the Oilers have lost four of their last five in Tampa. At some point, this team will return to home ice (I think). 

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