Simashev Strikes Twice as Mammoth Outlast Lightning 5-4 OT
Vejmelka holds firm against a Tampa Bay attack that matched Utah look for look, while John Carlson rings a post
Utah won this one in overtime, but there was barely a sliver between these teams. Both sides created about five goals' worth of chances, so the night came down to who finished and who made the saves.
By expected goals, which measure how many goals a team's chances were worth, Tampa Bay had 5.65 and Utah had 5.18. Shot attempts were dead even at 60 apiece. The Lightning even put more pucks on goal, outshooting Utah 32-28.
The difference was in goal. Karel Vejmelka stopped 28 of 32, while Dennis Hildeby stopped 23 of 28 at the other end. Tampa Bay also came within a post of more: John Carlson rang one off the iron.
Defenceman Dmitri Simashev, playing alongside Nick DeSimone, scored two goals on three shots. Vincent Trocheck, on a line with Logan Cooley and Dylan Guenther, set up two more in 21 minutes of ice time. Anders Lee and Kailer Yamamoto also scored, each firing four shots. For Tampa Bay, Jake Guentzel, Brayden Point and Conor Geekie found the net.
For the Central Division-leading Mammoth, it was a bounce-back after the loss in Seattle.
