Bolts bounce back behind goalie Domingue

by Gary Shelton on January 8, 2018 · 0 comments

in general, Tampa Bay Lightning

Gourde scored twice to lead the Bolts' win./JEFFREY S. KING

Gourde scored twice to lead the Bolts' win./JEFFREY S. KING

Monday, 2 a.m.

Faced with one of their few slumps of the season, playing a new goaltender and in a hostile arena, the Tampa Bay Lightning bounced back Sunday night.

The Lightning, one day after being drubbed 6-3 by Ottawa, came back to beat the Detroit Red Wings, 5-2. Goaltender Louis Domingue started for the first time for the Bolts and stopped 34 shots in the victory.

Domingue had started the season with Arizona, where he was 0-6 during

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Kucherov  scored the clincher against Wings./CARMEN MANDATO

Kucherov scored the clincher against Wings./CARMEN MANDATO

October. But playing in place of injured Peter Budaj, Domingue was solid. He led the Bolts to their 30th victory of the season.

“I thought (the turnaround) was outstanding," said Bolts' coach Jon Cooper. "We challenged these guys and they continue to answer the bell. This was an easy one to mail in: five-game road trip, how many days we’ve been on the road, back-to-back, through customs and to have the game that we did, especially the way the game went. I don’t think we had a power play tonight, had to kill off two 5-on-3s, pretty gutty effort from the guys, and then especially Louis Domingue’s making his debut with us and played really good. I think he was calm back there. It was good to see.”

The Bolts got two goals from Yanni Gourde, who now has 14 on the season. Other goals came from Dan Girardi, Tyler Johnson and Nikita Kucherov, who now has a league-leading 27 on the year.

Girardi left the game after taking a one-timer up high.

“(It was) much better, I think, than how that looked," Cooper said. "I’ve been coaching all levels for a long time, and that was one of the scariest things I’ve ever seen in hockey. But, typical Dan, he still takes it in stride and has light-hearted comments about it. I just can’t say enough about that kid. That kid’s got guts, man.”

The Bolts are 30-9-3 on the season.

Tampa Bay returns home Tuesday night to face the Carolina Hurricanes. The puck drops at 7:30 p.m.

 

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