Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy: Concedes five in loss
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Vasilevskiy gave up five goals on 30 shots in a Game 5 loss to Florida on Wednesday.
Vasilevskiy was subpar by his standards in the postseason, registering a 1-4 record, 3.27 GAA and .872 save percentage in five games versus the Panthers. Nominated for the Vezina Trophy, the 30-year-old netminder was fantastic again in the regular season, going 38-20-5 with six shutouts and a 2.18 GAA in his 63 outings. Vasilevskiy will look to continue his run of eight straight 30-win seasons as he heads into the 2025-26 campaign.
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Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy: In goal for Game 5
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Vasilevskiy will protect the home goal versus the Panthers in Game 5 on Wednesday, Gabby Shirley of FanDuel Sports Network Florida & Sun reports.
Vasilevskiy allowed three goals on 22 shots in Game 4 on Monday, squandering a lead late in the third period. That loss makes Wednesday's game a must-win for the Lightning to keep their season alive. Vasilevskiy is 1-3 with a 2.79 GAA and an .884 save percentage over the first four games of the series and has had his hands full with the defending champions at times.
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Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy: Late collapse has Bolts on brink
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Vasilevskiy stopped 19 of 22 shots Monday in the Lightning's 4-2 loss to the Panthers in Game 4 of their first-round series. Florida's final goal was scored into an empty net.
Tampa Bay took a 2-1 lead into the third period, but late in the frame, Aaron Ekblad and Seth Jones scored 11 seconds apart to flip the script. Vasilevskiy has been erratic this postseason, managing a 2.79 GAA and an .884 save percentage through four starts, and as a result, the Bolts will be facing elimination when the series shifts back to Tampa for Game 5 on Wednesday.
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Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy: Tending twine in Sunrise
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Vasilevskiy will be between the road pipes in Game 4 against the Panthers on Monday, Gabby Shirley of FanDuel Sports Network Florida & Sun reports.
As if there was any doubt, Vasilevskiy will be tasked with attempting to send the series back to Tampa Bay tied at 2-2. The Russian netminder's workload has increased in each game of this series, and after conceding six goals on 17 shots in Game 1, Vasilevskiy has turned aside 54 of 56 shots (.964 save percentage) over the last two matchups. The Lightning will receive a boost Monday in the form of Brandon Hagel, who was suspended for Saturday's Game 3 win.
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Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy: Getting stronger and stronger
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Vasilevskiy made 33 saves in a 5-1 win over Florida on Saturday in Game 3.
Matthew Tkachuk was the lone member of the Panthers to beat Vasilevskiy, and the goal came at 2:43 of the first period after a turnover in the Bolts' zone. Vasilevskiy has gotten stronger and stronger over the three games of the series. He put the six-goal debacle in Game 1 behind him with two solid efforts. Vasilevskiy is 1-2-0 with a 2.70 GAA and an .890 save percentage this postseason.
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Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy: Starting in Florida
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Vasilevskiy will patrol the road crease versus Florida on Saturday in Game 3, Gabby Shirley of FanDuel Sports Network Florida & Sun reports.
Vasilevskiy struggled in Game 1, allowing six goals on only 17 shots, but he rebounded nicely in Game 2 despite the loss, giving up one goal on 21 shots. Vasilevskiy was outstanding in the regular season, going 38-20-5 with six shutouts, a 2.18 GAA and a .921 save percentage. The Panthers hold a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series and return home for Game 3, where the team finished 17th in the NHL with 126 goals.
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Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy: Sharp in bounce back game
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Vasilevskiy made 21 saves in a 2-0 loss to the Panthers on Thursday, allowing one goal.
He and Sergei Bobrovsky exchanged saves most of the night in a tight goalie duel. Nate Schmidt beat him in the first period on a one-timer from above the right circle. Vasilevskiy quite effectively bounced back after playing sieve Tuesday night (six goals on 16 shots) in Game 1.
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Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy: Exits ice first Thursday
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Vasilevskiy was the first goalie to leave the ice Thursday, Benjamin Pierce of the Lightning's official site reports, indicating he'll be in goal for Game 2 at home versus the Panthers.
Vasilevskiy was never going to lose the starting gig in Tampa, despite having given up six goals on 16 shots for his worst save percentage of the season (.625) in Game 1. The 30-year-old backstop has led the Bolts to three Stanley Cup Finals, including two wins over his 11-year career, so benching him for Jonas Johansson probably hasn't even crossed head coach Jon Cooper's mind.
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Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy: Lit up in Game 1 loss
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Vasilevskiy stopped 10 of 16 shots in Tuesday's 6-2 loss to the Panthers in Game 1.
The Lightning's shot suppression game was fine, but the Panthers cashed in on all three of their power-play chances, which ultimately was the difference. This was one of Vasilevskiy's worst outings in quite a while -- he didn't allow more than five goals in any start in 2024-25. The last time he allowed six goals was Feb. 17, 2024, which also came against the Panthers. Vasilevskiy will be the man between the pipes for the Lightning, so expect him to get a chance to redeem himself Thursday in Game 2.
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Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy: First off at morning skate
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Vasilevskiy is set to start at home Tuesday against the Panthers in Game 1, Gabby Shirley of FanDuel Sports Network Florida & Sun reports.
Vasilevskiy finished the regular season playing at a high level, earning an 8-2-2 record, 1.73 GAA and .929 save percentage over his last 12 appearances. The Panthers are close to being fully healthy, but the status of Matthew Tkachuk (groin) for Game 1 has yet to be determined. Vasilevskiy has been excellent in postseason play throughout his 11-year career, sporting a 66-46-0 record, .920 save percentage and 2.41 GAA over 115 appearances.
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Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy: Among NHL's best in net
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Vasilevskiy made 23 saves in a 5-1 win over the Panthers on Tuesday.
Vasy hasn't lost in regulation since April 3 (2-0-2). He's 38-20-5 in 63 starts this season, and his 2.18 GAA is the best of his career. Vasilevsky is fourth overall in GAA and save percentage (.921), and he sits second in shutouts (six). He will line up against Sergei Bobrovsky when the Bolts take on the Panthers in the first round.
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Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy: In goal Tuesday
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Vasilevskiy will get the starting nod at home versus the Panthers on Tuesday, Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Vasilevskiy has surprisingly underwhelmed of late, giving up four goals in each of his last two outings for a combined .860 save percentage -- though he was still able to pick up a standings point with an overtime loss in each. This could be a final tuneup for Vasilevskiy ahead of the postseason, as it seems likely they would give the 30-year-old backstop the night off versus the Rangers on Thursday.
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Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy: Tagged with another OT loss
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Vasilevskiy stopped 22 of 26 shots in Friday's 4-3 overtime loss to the Red Wings.
Vasilevskiy has suffered back-to-back overtime losses after stopping 27 of 31 shots in a 4-3 defeat to the Maple Leafs on Wednesday. It's safe to say the 30-year-old star netminder isn't ending the regular season in the best run of form. He's dropped three of his last four appearances, going 1-1-2 with a 2.71 GAA and a .904 save percentage over that span, but it seems this is nothing more than a rough patch. Over his last 10 games, Vasilevskiy has gone 6-2-2 with a 1.78 GAA and an impressive .930 save percentage.
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Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy: Protecting net Friday
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Vasilevskiy will guard the home goal versus the Red Wings on Friday, Gabby Shirley of FanDuel Sports Network Florida & Sun reports.
Vasilevskiy is 7-2-1 with a 1.59 GAA and a .934 save percentage over his last 10 outings. However, his last start was a 4-3 overtime loss to the Maple Leafs on Wednesday in which he allowed four goals on 31 shots. The Red Wings are playing the second half of a back-to-back and have been limited to 12 goals over their last six games, a span in which they are 3-2-1.
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Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy: Falls to Leafs in OT
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Vasilevskiy stopped 27 shots in Wednesday's 4-3 overtime loss to the Maple Leafs.
There wasn't much Vasilevskiy could do on any of the pucks that beat him, as one came on a Toronto power play and two others came on failed clearing attempts by the Bolts. It's the first time since March 11 the 30-year-old netminder has given up more than three goals, and over his last 10 starts Vasilevskiy has gone 7-2-1 with a stellar 1.59 GAA and .934 save percentage.
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Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy: Expected to face Toronto
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Vasilevskiy is slated to start at home against the Maple Leafs on Wednesday, according to Gabby Shirley of FanDuel Sports Network Florida & Sun.
Vasilevskiy has a 37-20-3 record, 2.14 GAA and .922 save percentage in 60 appearances this campaign. As good as he's been in 2024-25, he's done even better recently, posting a 7-2-0 record, 1.33 GAA and .944 save percentage over his past nine outings. Toronto ranks eighth in goals per game with 3.25, though the Maple Leafs are playing on no rest after suffering a 3-1 loss to Florida on Tuesday.
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Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy: Sharp in Monday's win
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Vasilevskiy made 38 saves in Monday's 5-1 win over the Rangers.
A power-play tally by Mika Zibanejad in the second period spoiled his shutout bid, but it was otherwise another impressive performance from Vasilevskiy. The 2018-19 Vezina Trophy winner is locked in as the playoffs approach, allowing three goals or fewer in nine straight starts while going 7-2-0 with a stellar 1.33 GAA and .944 save percentage. With five games left on Tampa Bay's regular-season schedule, Vasilevskiy needs three more wins to reach 40 for the second time in his career.
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Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy: Exits ice first
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Vasilevskiy was the first goalie to leave the ice Monday, Gabby Shirley of FanDuel Sports Network Florida & Sun reports, indicating he'll be in goal on the road against the Rangers.
Vasilevskiy has allowed three or fewer goals in eight straight contests, posting a 6-2-0 record, 1.37 GAA and .937 save percentage in that span. With an eye on the postseason, the veteran backstop could get some additional rest down the stretch, which would open the door for Jonas Johansson to make an extra start or two. Still, once the playoffs begin, it figures to be all Vasilevskiy the rest of the way.
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Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy: Takes loss in goalie duel
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Vasilevskiy made 17 saves in a 2-1 loss to Ottawa on Thursday.
The Bolts played well -- they simply couldn't put more than one puck past Linus Ullmark, who was outstanding in the opposite net. Vasilevskiy is 3-1-0 with just four goals allowed over his last four games and 6-2-0 with two shutouts in his last eight starts. The Bolts could have clinched a playoff spot with a win; that win will come soon enough.
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Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy: Expected to start Thursday
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Vasilevskiy was the first goaltender off the ice at morning skate and is slated to defend the visiting crease in Ottawa on Thursday, per Gabby Shirley of FanDuel Sports Network Florida & Sun.
Vasilevskiy has won three straight games as well as six of his last seven outings. He is 36-19-3 with six shutouts, a sparkling 2.16 GAA and a .921 save percentage. The Senators are solidly entrenched as the first wild card in the Eastern Conference and have scored 212 goals in 74 games this season.
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