3 Takeaways From Lightning’s First 2 Preseason Games

The Tampa Bay Lightning opened their preseason schedule by splitting a two-game home-and-away series against the Nashville Predators. Several new additions made early impacts during the contests, including Ilya Mikheyev tipping in a goal off a pass from John Carlson on Sunday. Forward Jeffery Viel scored two goals in Tuesday's loss, while goaltender Denis Hildeby stopped 23 of 26 shots in his debut.

Among the team's prospects, Sam O'Reilly stood out with an assist, faceoff success, and first-star honors on Sunday. While Ethan Czata and Dylan Duke performed reliably on defense, other prospects such as Benjamin Rautiainen have yet to record a shot, highlighting the need for more offensive production.