Bolts can’t keep up with Islanders in 5-1 loss

by Gary Shelton on December 10, 2019

in general

Stamkos scored his tenth goal of the year./CARMEN MANDATO

Tuesday, 3 a.m.

ßometimes, the punch doesn't matter.

Not if the counterpunch is better.

The New York Islanders waited for the right time, then pounded on the mistakes of the Tampa Bay Lightning in a 5-1 victory Monday night. The Islanders scored the game's first two goals and its final three.

"We shot ourselves in the foot," said Lightning coach Jon Cooper. "On the shorthanded goal…we can’t give that up. On the third, we had an unlucky break ... whatever you want to call it. They’re Johnny-on-the-spot on a puck that goes off our guy’s stick and ends up in the slot. It’s tough. Then they shut it down and pack up the middle."

The Lightning's only goal was Steven Stamkos' 10th of the year.

The Bolts trailed 2-1 going into the third period, and Cooper said he liked the "first six or seven minutes." But the Isles scored three goals in the period to pull away.

The Lightning's Curtis McElhinney stopped just 18 of 23 shots.

Tampa Bay travels to South Florida tonight play to the Florida Hurricanes. The puck is scheduled to drop at 7 p.m.

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