TAMPA, Fla. — The Lightning’s second of three games against the Islanders over a stretch of 12 days played out much like many of the teams’ recent meetings. It was a tight-checking defensive struggle, fast-paced but with little space to create scoring chances.

Saturday night at Benchmark International Arena, the Lightning went into the third period with the game still scoreless for the first time this season.

Special teams wasn’t a factor for most of the game. There were just three penalties called in the first 49 minutes, but the Islanders took advantage of a four-minute high-sticking penalty on Lightning forward Brandon Hagel.

Islanders center Calum Ritchie found a puck that went hard off the end boards at the left post and flicked it off goaltender Jonas Johansson and into the net for the decisive goal with 7:14 remaining, sending the Lightning to a 2-0 loss, their third straight.

Casey Cizikas added an empty-net goal in the closing seconds.

The Lightning had their chances. Rookie defenseman Max Crozier hit the crossbar early in the first period. A feed to the front of the net from Darren Raddysh was just out of the reach of 6-foot-9 Curtis Douglas to get off a quality shot. Fellow rookie Jack Finley had a breakaway in the second period but made his move an instant too early and didn’t fool goaltender Ilya Sorokin.

The Lightning were without starting goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy for a second straight game. Vasilevskiy missed Thursday’s scheduled start, but coach Jon Cooper didn’t anticipate him missing more than that, so he could be dealing with an injury more serious than the team originally thought.

The Lightning also were without star right wing Nikita Kucherov, who played 25:28 Thursday but didn’t practice Friday and was skating on his own during Saturday’s optional morning skate under the observation of head athletic trainer Tom Mulligan.

Tampa Bay did get back defenseman Victor Hedman, who played in his first game since Nov. 8.

Without Vasilevskiy, Johansson played his second straight game for the first time this season. He stopped the first 16 shots he saw before the allowing Ritchie’s goal.

The Lightning didn’t allow much, especially early. The Islanders had just two shots on goal in the first 19:37, both from rookie first overall pick Matthew Schaefer.

Saturday was 90s night, and fittingly it marked the 35th anniversary of the day founder Phil Esposito was awarded the expansion Lightning franchise on Dec. 6, 1990. Esposito received a red velvet cake during the Scripps Sports pregame show and a standing ovation from the home crowd during his ceremonial puck drop.

©2025 Tampa Bay Times. Visit at tampabay.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.