Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy: Tough start to season
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Vasilevskiy made 24 saves in Saturday's 5-3 loss to the Devils.
The Bolts started well but were chasing the game after the Devils opened the scoring before the midway point of the first period, and went down 3-0. Tampa Bay has lost two straight to start the season for the first time since 2008. It's a small sample, so we'll give them some time to right the ship. Vasilevskiy will be instrumental in stabilizing the squad, and he'll put the two losses and nine goals against behind him pretty quickly.
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Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy: Between pipes versus Devils
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Vasilevskiy will guard the home goal versus the Devils on Saturday, Erik Erlendsson of LightningInsider.com reports.
Vasilevskiy's season got off to a mediocre start, as he allowed four goals on 33 shots in a 5-4 loss to the Senators on Thursday. The 31-year-old may need to shake off a little rust after missing nearly all of the preseason. That said, he will start a large portion of the Lightning's games and should produce elite numbers once again this year.
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Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy: Keeps things close in loss
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Vasilevskiy made 29 saves in Thursday's 5-4 loss to the Senators. He allowed four goals.
Dylan Cozens and Artem Zub each beat Vasilevskiy once, and Shane Pinto scored two against him, but thee game was still tied until the 18:13 mark of the third. Vasilevskiy is a strong fantasy option despite Thursday's loss. The Lightning played a bit loose and let a 3-1 lead slip away, which isn't something that's likely to happen often.
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Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy: Tending twine against Ottawa
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Vasilevskiy was the first goalie off during Thursday's morning skate, Benjamin Pierce of the Lightning's official site signaling that he'll draw the Opening Night start at home against the Senators.
Vasilevskiy dealt with an undisclosed injury for most of training camp, but he suited up in Tampa Bay's preseason finale against Florida on Saturday and will unsurprisingly draw the start in Thursday's regular-season opener. He made 63 regular-season appearances last year, going 38-20-5 with a 2.18 GAA and .921 save percentage, and he should remain one of the league's top netminders during the 2025-26 campaign.
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Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy: Starting versus Cats
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Vasilevskiy (undisclosed) will tend the twine on the road against the Panthers on Saturday, Benjamin Pierce of the Lightning's official site reports.
Vasilevskiy has been hampered by his undisclosed injury throughout training camp but will get into the crease for the Bolts' preseason finale. With his injury concern seemingly behind him, Vasilevskiy will almost certainly be in goal for Opening Night against the Senators on Thursday.
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Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy: Could return Saturday
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The Lightning believe that Vasilevskiy (undisclosed) is in line to play in Saturday's preseason finale against the Panthers, Erik Erlendsson of LightningInsider.com reports.
Vasilevskiy has already been ruled out for Thursday's exhibition matchup against the Panthers, but he could have a chance for a final appearance before the start of the regular season. If he's healthy for the start of the 2025-26 campaign, Vasilevskiy remains in line to serve as the Lightning's No. 1 netminder.
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Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy: Expected to practice Tuesday
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Vasilevskiy (undisclosed) skated Monday before the main group and is poised to participate in Tuesday's practice, Benjamin Pierce of the Lightning's official site reports.
Vasilevskiy has been receiving treatments for an undisclosed issue and hasn't been on the ice much during training camp. However, head coach Jon Cooper called Monday a "promising day" for the 31-year-old netminder. It's still unclear if Vasilevskiy will see any playing time during the preseason, but he appears to be trending in the right direction. The Lightning anticipate that he will be available for the beginning of the 2025-26 campaign.
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Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy: Set to miss this weekend's games
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Vasilevskiy (undisclosed) will miss Friday's game against the Hurricanes and Saturday's game against the Predators, but he's expected to return to practice Monday, Benjamin Pierce of the Lightning's official site reports.
Vasilevskiy was last on the ice Friday. He is expected to get the Opening Night start Oct. 9 at home versus Ottawa. Vasilevskiy sparkled in 2024-25, posting a 38-20-5 mark with six shutouts, a 2.18 GAA and a .921 save percentage across 63 regular-season appearances.
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Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy: Undergoing treatment
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Vasilevskiy (undisclosed) has not skated since Friday, Lightning reporter Gabby Shirley reports.
Vasilevskiy is hoping to return to practice on the weekend, according to head coach Jon Cooper. "Basically he's just going through some treatments and stuff. It's player management so he'll be out probably a few days, latest hopefully a week and, then, he'll be back in there," Cooper said last Saturday. Vasilevskiy is still expected to get the Opening Night start at home versus Ottawa on Oct. 9.
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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.
