The Tampa Bay Lightning delivered a statement performance on Thursday night, emphatically beating the visiting Utah Hockey Club 8-0 at Amalie Arena. The dominant win marked Tampa Bay’s third consecutive home triumph, enhancing their record to an impressive 26-8-2 on home ice and securing a vital two points as the playoff race intensifies.
Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy was flawless, recording his sixth shutout of the season and the 40th of his career. Vasilevskiy stopped all 25 shots he faced, providing a rock-solid backbone for a Lightning team firing on all cylinders offensively.
Jake Guentzel was a standout, notching two goals, including his NHL-leading 16th power-play tally. His performance exemplified Tampa Bay’s precision and clinical execution throughout the night. Nikita Kucherov further showcased his brilliance, adding a goal and three assists, pushing his season point total beyond the 100-mark.
The game started with lightning speed as Tampa found the back of the net just 90 seconds in. Guentzel capitalized on a rebound to open the scoring, and Victor Hedman doubled the lead minutes later with a wrist shot. The second period was a nightmare for Utah, as Tampa Bay piled on four goals. Gage Goncalves, Kucherov, Guentzel, and Oliver Bjorkstrand contributed, forcing Utah to pull starting goaltender Karel Vejmelka after four goals allowed on just 11 shots.
Utah’s struggles continued into the third period as Brayden Point, scoring his 300th career goal, and Bjorkstrand each netted another to seal the rout. The loss was Utah’s worst in franchise history and further dented their slim playoff hopes. Now eight points behind in the Western Conference Wild Card race with only ten games remaining, Utah’s postseason chances appear increasingly bleak.
For Tampa Bay, the victory served as sweet revenge for a 6-4 loss to Utah five days prior and demonstrated their ability to dominate when it matters most. With Vasilevskiy at his best and their offense clicking, the Lightning solidified their status as a formidable force. With just ten games remaining in the NHL’s regular season, the Bolts are now in a three-way tie for first place in the Atlantic division with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers.
