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Lightning Stop Coyotes Behind Vasilevskiy’s First Shutout

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Tampa Bay Lightning's Steven Stamkos and Andrei Vasilevskiy celebrate a goal against the Arizona Coyotes at Amalie Arena Thursday, January 9, 2019. Photo: NHL.

TAMPA BAY, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) – Tampa Bay goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy recorded his first shutout of the season and the Lightning strolled to their ninth consecutive win by skating past the Arizona Coyotes, 4-0, at Amalie Arena on Thursday night.

The Lightning goalie has seen less pucks come his way during the streak because a gritty Tampa Bay forecheck has been in the grills of opponents’ offense while disallowing scoring opportunities that were available early in the season.

“It’s been a while,” acknowledged Vasilevskiy of the shutout, which was the19th of his career. “We played pretty well–all 60 minutes. We had some games in the past where we had shutouts, but give up late goals. We played really well and the whole team deserves credit.”

Vasilevskiy has been in a zone in the last month. He hasn’t lost a game in regulation since December 14, 2019 against Washington.

“He’s been playing really well,” noted Lightning coach John Cooper. “We’ve gone halfway through the year without one [a shutout] and it was bound to come at some point. He made some good saves. A big break away save. You need to get those to pitch a shut out and he did.”

Tampa Bay outshot the Coyotes, 34-25, as the 25 shots on goal gave Vasilevskiy only 48 looks in the last two games.

“We’ve talked to him about the things you have to do to keep yourself in the game if you’re not seeing the shots volume,” said Cooper. “Between TV timeouts and doing things to keep your focus–in the end, the goalies like wins.”

Nikita Kucherov scored two goals and Cedric Paquette, Pat Maroon, and Steven Stamkos had two assists as the Lightning continued its offensive assault that has been paramount in the streak.

“It wasn’t going to be easy against an opponent that defends well,” said Stamkos. “We’ve been on this streak for a reason. We are playing well and playing the right way. I thought we may have had our best performance of the year as we were moving our feet and back checking and allowing our defense to get a good gap. We had pucks and put them to the net and scored some goals.”

Alex Killorn tallied the Lightning’s first goal at 15:06 in the first period when he dug the puck past Coyotes goalie Adin Hill. It was his 18th of the season thanks to him pressuring Hill on the doorstep of the right crease.

Mikhail Sergachev scored the second Lightning marker at 18:24 in the first when he tried to feed Paquette, who was flying in the lane. The pass went off Coyotes defenseman Jordan Oesterle’s stick and into the net. Since the puck did not touch Paquette, Sergachev was credited with his third goal of the season.

Stamkos assisted the two Lightning goals in the second period as Nikita Kucherov scored off a wrist shot on the right wing at 6:15 and then subsequently tallied his second goal of the evening at 8:52. Brayden Point also assisted the first Kucherov goal and then Jan Rutta was the second assister on his second score.

“Obviously, there are some skilled guys on the line,” said Stamkos. “We are best at skating and using our skills after that. In the second period, we got some good looks and capitalized.”

For Vasilevskiy, he has won seven straight starts and is four wins away from matching the longest goalie win streak in franchise history, which is 11 consecutive wins by Louis Domingue last season from Nov. 29, 2018 to Feb. 19, 2019.

“Anytime you get a chance to get a shutout for the goalie, you want them,” commented Stamkos. “He has battled all year and is hard on himself and has been excellent during this streak. You don’t win without elite goal tending and he was elite tonight.”

Tampa Bay looks for that record-setting 10th straight win on Saturday evening when they visit the Philadelphia Flyers.

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Ken Cross is a sports contributor for Florida National News. | info@floridanationalnews.com

Sports

CARBAHN PEREGRINE RACING POWERS THROUGH SEBRING TRIALS, EYES REDEMPTION AT LAGUNA SECA

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Sebring, Florida. (March 18, 2024) — Following an intense showdown at the Sebring International Raceway, CarBahn Peregrine Racing experienced another rollercoaster of emotions in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Alan Jay Automotive Network 120 race.

Starting from the 4th row after a strong qualifying performance that landed them in 8th place, the No. 39 Accel / Menlo BMW M4 GT4, driven by Sean McAlister and Jeff Westphal, showcased resilience and strategy throughout the race. With clean runs and impeccable pit stops, the team steadily climbed up the ranks, making their way to 4th place with only 2 laps remaining.

However, as the race entered its crucial final moments, the team faced a devastating setback. An ill-timed maneuver by the No. 69 Motorsports In Action McLaren Artura GT4, which incurred a subsequent penalty, saw it aggressively attempt to overtake Westphal’s No. 39 CarBahn Motorsports BMW M4 GT4 at Turn 3. This contact caused the No. 39 to spin out, dashing the team’s hopes of reaching the podium and resulting in a disappointing 9th place finish.

Despite the disappointment, Jeff Westphal’s stellar performance shone through with the second-best sector 1 time and the fastest time for sector 3, securing the team’s runner up spot in the ideal lap chart.

Looking ahead, CarBahn Peregrine Racing remains undeterred as they prepare for their next challenge. On May 11, the team will embark on a two-hour battle at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, eager to bounce back and reclaim their position at the forefront of the competition.

Jeff Westphal – driver of the No. 39 Accel / Menlo BMW M4 GT4

“A tough ending to an otherwise extremely positive day for the No. 39 Carbahn Peregrine Racing BMW M4. We had great pace on a single lap in the heat of the Florida sun, as well as a good long run average.

However some over zealous decisions by many of our competitors found our rear bumper in multiple ways and angles, one of which took me out of a fight for 2nd. I was able to get moving again in P10 and make it back up to P9 by the checkered, but a disappointment as a podium was within reach.

I would like to highlight the incredible job done by my team, and team mate this past weekend. We were firing on all cylinders as a group!”

Sean McAlister – driver of the No. 39 Accel / Menlo BMW M4 GT4

“Sebring was a tough one. We struggled with an unfavorable balance of power for the weekend which gave us more weight and less power compared to Daytona, while most of the other manufacturers got weight reduced and power increased. I did what I could in qualifying to put us in P8 to start the race.

The team gave Jeff and I an amazing race car to drive in order to be consistent, as that would be our only chances at doing well in the race. I was able to move the car up through the field a few positions while on track. After I handed it off to Jeff, he also did a great job moving the car through the field but unfortunately we got spun by a low percentage move while battling for a podium position with only a few laps to go, resulting in us finishing 9th.

Even though it wasn’t the result we wanted, it was important to get some points on the board for the championship. Can’t wait for Laguna Seca in a few weeks!”

Sameer Gandhi – team co-owner

“While Sebring brought moments of disappointment, it also showcased the incredible determination and skill of our drivers, Sean McAlister and Jeff Westphal. Despite facing setbacks beyond their control, they demonstrated unwavering commitment and resilience, pushing the No. 39 Accel / Menlo BMW M4 GT4 to its limits.

We acknowledge the outstanding effort put forth by every member of our team, from the drivers to the crew, whose dedication and hard work are the backbone of our success.

As we look forward to the upcoming race at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, we remain focused and determined to bounce back stronger than ever. Our sights are set on reclaiming our position at the forefront of the competition, and I have full confidence in the ability of our team to rise to the challenge.”

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Buccaneers re-signed defensive lineman Greg Gaines

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers today re-signed defensive lineman Greg Gaines

Gaines enters his second season with Tampa Bay after originally signing with the Buccaneers as a free agent during the 2023 offseason. Over 76 career games, including 27 starts, Gaines has recorded 146 tackles, 29 quarterback hits, 11.5 sacks and two fumble recoveries.

Prior to arriving in Tampa Bay, Gaines played four seasons for the Los Angeles Rams, who selected him in the fourth round (No. 134 overall) in the 2019 NFL Draft. The La Habra, California, native played collegiately at Washington.

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Scottie Scheffler Wins Second Red Cardigan at 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational

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Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN Sports) – Scottie Scheffler wins his second red cardigan at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, today, along with $4 million of the $20 million prize pool. The red cardigan was first awarded in 2017, in memory of Arnold Palmer who passed the year before. Scheffler first won the API in 2022.

Scottie Scheffler wins the Arnold Palmer Invitational. (Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

The number one ranked golfer in the world, Scheffler finished at 15 under par for the four day tournament, carding a 66 today. Wyndham Clark finished in second place at 10 under par. API defending champion, Kurt Kitayama, did not make the cut, this weekend, finishing 7 over par after the first two rounds on Thursday and Friday.

This coming week, the top golfers head to TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra, for the 50th anniversary of The Players Championship. The winner will walk away with $4.5 million of the $25 million up for grabs. This is the PGA Tour’s largest regular season purse. Stay tuned to www.FloridaNationalNews.com for more.

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