Hagel’s Hard Shots Turned Every Chance Into Traffic

Brandon Hagel was the engine of Tampa’s attack. He fired 17 hard shots and planted himself in front of the net all night. Those attempts weren’t empty volume: Hagel’s individual expected goals were 2.88, meaning his chances were worth real goal threat. On-ice, Tampa enjoyed better chances when he was skating, and the Lightning generated more high-danger chances with Hagel out there than they conceded — 26 high-danger chances for versus 14 against (a 65 percent share). In plain terms: opponents had to respect his shot and account for his net-front work, which created traffic and opportunities for teammates.

This is the sort of repeatable workmanlike contribution — heavy shooting, net-front presence and drawing defenders — that makes Tampa’s attack harder to shut down over the course of a game and a season.