Lightning Beat Blackhawks 4-1 Behind Mikheyev
Ilya Mikheyev scored twice as Tampa Bay handed Chicago its seventh road loss of the season.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Hockey
The Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 4-1 in Tampa, Fla., on November 5, 2026. Ilya Mikheyev scored two goals, and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 24 saves for Tampa Bay.
Why it matters
The result extends Tampa Bay's strong start at home while deepening Chicago's struggles on the road. The Lightning remain among the stronger teams in their early-season standing, and the Blackhawks continue to search for consistency.
Lightning are 8-0-0 at home and 10-3-2 overall, while the Blackhawks are 0-7-1 on the road and 4-12-1 overall. Vasilevskiy stopped 24 shots and Soderblom turned aside 31 for Chicago.
The players
Tampa Bay Lightning
An NHL franchise based in Tampa, Florida, that has won multiple Stanley Cup championships.
Chicago Blackhawks
An original-six NHL franchise based in Chicago, Illinois, that has won several Stanley Cup titles.
Andrei Vasilevskiy
A Russian goaltender who has anchored the Tampa Bay Lightning net and won multiple Vezina Trophies.
Ilya Mikheyev
A Russian winger for the Tampa Bay Lightning who scored two goals in this game.
The details
Victor Hedman opened the scoring on a power play at 4:12 of the first period. Mikheyev added his second goal on a tip at 5:07 of the third period, and Ryan McDonagh scored on a slap shot at 2:38 of the third. Roman Kantserov scored Chicago's lone goal with 49 seconds left.
Timeline
November 5, 2026: Lightning defeat Blackhawks 4-1 in Tampa.
Saturday, November 7, 2026: Blackhawks play at Carolina; Lightning play at Minnesota.
Season Trajectory
The Lightning's back-to-back Stanley Cup titles in 2020 and 2021 set the expectations for this group, and a fourth straight home win keeps them on pace as a contender. The Blackhawks' winless road stretch of seven losses and one overtime point leaves them far behind in the early-season race.
The Lightning's 8-0-0 home mark gives Tampa fans a strong home-ice advantage to watch as the season progresses. Blackhawks fans face a difficult stretch given the team's 0-7-1 road record, which affects how they can plan for away games.
The takeaway
Consistent home performance can carry a team through a long season, while road struggles often reveal depth issues that matter in the standings. Following both teams' road and home splits can help readers judge how sustainable these early results are.
Further reading
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