With the current news our favorite Russian defenseman is out from Tampa, I’d like to give a moment to remember an often forgotten moment and the implication it had on our championships.
It’s December 31st 2019, the Lightning are playing a regular season game against the Buffalo Sabers. In this game Tampa was being smoked early, a 3-0 deficit. Tampa Bay were in the midst of a decent season, but one that was noticeably underwhelming compared to the regular season in 2019. As though the brutal playoff loss had in a way taken some of the thunder away from this group the following regular season.
Tampa was threatening a comeback, but still down two goals it was gonna take a lot to win this game, but hockey is a game of momentum and a moment of momentum is exactly what they got, served by the Mikhail Sergachev.
Sergy delivers a clean but still nasty hit on then Saber Jack Eichel laying the Star flat out on the ice. This draws the negative attention of his teammate Jake McCabe. A fight breaks out between Sergy and McCabe and while they throw some hands at first, things change when Sergy hits McCabe with the meanest three hooks he’d take in his life.
Three gruesome blasts straight to the face delivered by Mikhail would send the two of them to the floor, with Sergachev on top. After the ass kicking Sergachev delivered he stared up at the crowd and hit a mean “are you entertained” pose before heading into the box. This put a fire in Tampas skates that they would use to win the game 6-4. This momentum delivered by Mikhail Sergachevs fists would carry out into the rest of the season where Tampa Bay would be dominate. The win would go on to be a part of a double digit win streak, and Tampa would pull off a second double digit win streak later.
This change of form would have massive implication for that years playoffs. The Lightning were good enough to place in the top four teams in the east, allowing them to avoid the dreaded play-in series in the bubble playoffs. With Mikhail Sergachev’s help, the Lightning would dominate those playoffs resulting in a playoff run that holds up as the best in our franchises history in terms of dominance.
As we all know Sergachev would continue to play a key role on the team, being a amazing defenseman who could lay out big hits, take his fair share back, and hit absolutely ridiculous piss missiles from the blue lines that I still believe to be one of the most underrated shots in all of hockey.
So with all that out of the way, thank you Mikhail Sergachev for being one of my favorite Bolts of all time.
by I-am-the-best-Spy
12 Comments
Sergachev made some questionable defensive plays over the years, but he was solid offensively and did make some great defensive plays. He’s young, and I hoped he would blossom and grow into Hedman 2.0. I wish him all the best with Utah and he helps them become a successful team.
I still believe he’s going to be a Kronwall/Hedman 2.0
That moment changed our season to lead to the cup runs iirc
It’s going to be very interesting to see how he does without the Hedman logjam blocking him from PP1 and prime offensive opportunities. Could see him putting up 70 points if given the opportunity and good support.
I’m going to miss him. He was easily the most unfairly criticized player on the team. He’s done so much for this franchise, and I wish him all the best.
Of my 3 jerseys, only Hedman remains (Killorn and Sergie) but I will always wear the other 2 with pride.
Hope he builds his own legacy in Utah and cements himself in that organizations culture at a very important time.
He’s a killer addition for them.
Love these 2 from Sergy.. gonna miss him.
[https://imgur.com/a/qK33W8o](https://imgur.com/a/qK33W8o)
I’ll miss those moments he’d get scrappy in the rink, ready to step up for any of his teammates on GP. Spasibo, Misha.
We saw the size hole his absence created last year. Now we get that for a full season. Oh joy.
Of course you pick a game where we were losing 3-1 to Buffalo 🙁 /s
Definitely going to miss his wicked wrist shot for a beauty of a goal that he does max 2x a year
I’m a long time Tampa fan who lives in Utah. I still plan to root for Tampa, they’re MY team, but it will be fun to have Sergy here 🥹