Wed, Apr 15, 2026 Β· Benchmark International Arena
Lightning
Tampa Bay
50β26β6 Β· 2nd Atlantic
TEAM
P1
P2
P3
TOT
NYR
1
3
0
4
TBL
0
1
1
2
πHockeyLens Verdict
Tampa Bay lost because Halverson conceded 1.90 goals above league average on 21 shots while New York's penalty kill held all five Tampa Bay power plays scoreless.
β‘TURNING POINT
Zibanejad's power-play goal at 12:46 of the second pushed the lead to 4β1, converting a 3β1 game into a four-goal cushion that made Tampa's structural deficit insurmountable. With two periods still to play, the gap was wide enough that a single-goal third period β Tampa's best β changed nothing.
πWHY NYR WON (ranked by impact β most decisive first)
1
Goaltending Margin: Garand conceded 1.10 goals below league average on 31 shots β in a two-goal game, that margin was the foundation every other advantage was built on.
2
Special Teams Superiority: NYR converted 1-of-5 power plays while killing all five Tampa opportunities (0-for-5, 0.0%) β a five-chance shutout on the penalty kill removed Tampa's most reliable pressure valve entirely.
3
Puck Management: NYR giveaways 12 vs. Tampa's 19 β Tampa's defensive-zone breakdowns created the clean exits that fueled NYR's second-period three-goal burst.
πWHY TBL LOST (ranked by impact β biggest failure first)
1
Goaltending Margin: Halverson conceded 1.90 goals above league average on 21 shots β in a two-goal loss, that gap is the deficit itself.
2
Power Play Failure: 0-for-5 on the man advantage against a team posting a 52.7% faceoff rate β Tampa never converted its best opportunities to claw back into the game.
3
Giveaway Rate: 19 giveaways against 4 takeaways produced a turnover deficit that handed NYR repeated transition opportunities and directly enabled three even-strength second-period goals.
Three Stars
Tye Kartye1st
NYR, L
2G1A3P3 SOGTOI 15:05
Kartye scored twice at even strength and added the primary assist on the third NYR goal, personally accounting for three of the four goals that made the lead untouchable.
Corey Perry2nd
TBL, R
1G4 SOGTOI 16:12
Perry generated Tampa's highest shot volume on the night and scored the third-period goal, providing the only sustained pressure Tampa could manufacture in a losing effort.
Scott Sabourin3rd
TBL, R
0G1ATOI 11:27
Sabourin assisted on Bjorkstrand's goal that briefly made it a two-goal game, representing Tampa's lone moment of genuine second-period traction.
