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Eduardo A. Encina - Lightning Reporter
Eduardo A. Encina

Lightning Reporter

I’m back for my second stint at the Tampa Bay Times. You may recognize my byline from back in the day when I covered the Rays, Lightning and high school sports. After seven years working in my hometown of Baltimore as the lead Orioles writer at The Baltimore Sun, I’m back covering the Lightning. If you have a story idea, email me, tweet me or send me a three-eyed raven. When I’m not working, I’m likely outside hiking (preferably out of cell-phone range), getting charged by a mountain goat, Instagramming my food, plotting my second career as an astronaut or taking hacks at the nearest indoor batting cage.

  1. Lightning drop their 4th straight home game, losing to Kings
    • Lightning
    Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) and defenseman J.J. Moser (90) stop Kings left wing Warren Foegele (37) during the first period of Thursday's game at Benchmark International Arena.
  2. Lightning could be without Brandon Hagel until after the holiday break
    • Lightning
    Lightning left wing Brandon Hagel (38) celebrates after scoring a goal against the Rangers late last month in New York. He could be out until after the holiday break due to an injury in the head area.
  3. Could Lightning get Ryan McDonagh, Andrei Vasilevskiy back Thursday?
    • Lightning
    Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) and defenseman Ryan McDonagh (27), shown during last season's playoff series against the Panthers, are expected to return to the lineup in the coming days.
  5. For Lightning’s Brayden Point, injury offered the reset he needed
    • Lightning
    Brayden Point says he's felt more comfortable on the ice since an undisclosed injury kept him out of seven games. Jon Cooper also has noticed a change. “I would say Pointer has been a more confident player."
  6. Lightning show fight late, but can’t dig out of early hole vs. Panthers
    • Lightning
    Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola, left, and Lightning center Jake Guentzel drop the gloves and fight during the third period Monday night in Tampa.
  7. Defenseman Emil Lilleberg becomes Lightning’s latest long-term injury
    • Lightning
    Lightning defenseman Emil Lilleberg is expected to be out longer than the seven-day window a player on injured reserve must miss.
  8. What’s changed since the Lightning last faced the Panthers?
    • Lightning
    Left wing Brandon Hagel will need to keep his head in the game, and emotions in check, when the Lightning host the Panthers on Monday night.
  9. Retro feel as Lightning, Islanders engage in a shootout
    • Lightning
    Defenseman J.J. Moser, pictured here earlier this season, gave the Lightning a chance Saturday in New York, scoring the tying goal 3:20 into the third period. But the Islanders prevailed in a shootout.
  10. Lightning’s Stadium Series jersey is homegrown in several ways
    • Lightning
    The Lightning's Stadium Series jersey adds sky blue to the team's color palette for the first time. “I can’t wait to see fans wearing the sky blue and the royal," said Dom Fillion, the senior creative director at Fanatics. "I think it’s gonna look tremendous."
  11. Lightning captain Victor Hedman to undergo elbow surgery on Monday
    • Lightning
    Lightning_Hedman_Hockey_15887.jpg
  12. Suddenly explosive Lightning strike early and often in rout of Devils
    • Lightning
    The Lightning's Jake Guentzel (59) reacts with Oliver Bjorkstrand (22) after scoring a goal during the first period of Thursday's game against the Devils in Newark, N.J. Tampa Bay won 8-4.
  13. How the Lightning’s Stadium Series jersey went from dream to reality
    • Lightning
    Lightning defenseman Ryan McDonagh models the jersey the team will wear in its Stadium Series outdoor game against the Boston Bruins on Feb. 1 at Raymond James Stadium.
  14. Lightning captain Victor Hedman out at least the next 3 games
    • Lightning
    Lightning captain and defenseman Victor Hedman, shown last Saturday against the Islanders in Tampa, was placed on injured reserve and will miss at least the next three games.
  15. Lightning make scoring look easy, get back on track vs. Canadiens
    • Lightning
    Lightning goaltender Jonas Johansson makes a save during the first period Tuesday night against the Canadiens in Montreal.
  16. Lightning are shut out for 2nd straight game, falling to Maple Leafs
    • Lightning
    Maple Leafs goaltender Dennis Hildeby keeps the puck out of the net as the Lightning's Brandon Hagel and Jake Guentzel apply pressure in the last minute of Monday's game in Toronto.
  17. Lightning’s Andrei Vasilevskiy to miss at least the next 2 games
    • Lightning
    Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy was placed on injured reserve Monday and will not be eligible to return to the lineup until Thursday at New Jersey, though that doesn't necessarily mean he'll be ready.
  18. Lightning drop 3rd straight game with home loss to Islanders
    • Lightning
    Lightning forward Jack Finley (62) takes a shot on New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin (30) during the first period of Saturday's game at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa.
  19. Hedman to return but Vasilevskiy, Kucherov likely out vs. Islanders
    • Lightning
    Just as it appears defenseman Victor Hedman, right, will be returning to the Lightning lineup, right wing Nikita Kucherov, left, and goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy could be sidelined.
  20. How Julien BriseBois arrived at ‘Why wait?’ on Ryan McDonagh
    • Lightning
    When Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois considered everything in front of him, it made sense to engage veteran defenseman Ryan McDonagh in contract extension talks last month.
  21. Lightning players join 24 kids for holiday shopping event at Target
    • Lightning
    Lightning center Yanni Gourde transports 4-year-old Saniyah Wells and her haul of toys through a gauntlet of registers during the Lightning Foundation’s holiday giving initiative Friday at the Target store on West Gandy Boulevard in South Tampa.
  22. Lightning sputter early, seethe late in tough-luck loss to Penguins
    • Lightning
    Lightning players watch replays on the big screen as officials review a final-minute third-period goal by Nikita Kucherov that would have tied the score against the Penguins on Thursday night.
  23. Lightning sign defenseman Ryan McDonagh to a 3-year extension
    • Lightning
    Lightning defenseman Ryan McDonagh talks with reporters Thursday after the team announces his contract extension.
  24. Lightning win streak ends at 7 games with road loss to Islanders
    • Lightning
    Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, shown making a stick save last month against the Avalanche, stopped 21 of 23 shots in Tuesday's 2-1 loss to the Islanders in Elmont, N.Y. It was the sixth time in seven games he has allowed two or fewer goals.