Bolts lack offense in loss to Wings

by Gary Shelton on May 2, 2021

in general

McElhinney was solid until the shootout./CHUCK MULLER

Sunday, 2 a.m.

Defensively, the Tampa Bay Lightning appear to be locking down Offensively, however, they desperately need pop.

The Bolts lost a 1-0 game to seventh-place Detroit in a shootout Saturday. The Bolts allowed just 15 shots -- 13 of them in regulation -- in front of goaltender Curtis McElhinney.

Still, the Bolts were unable to score, including an extended five-on-three power play in the third period.





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Wonder how dormant the offense is? Consider this: In the shootout, the Bolts' first five shooters included two rookies and two defensemen. Sam Gagne scored the winner in the eighth round of the shootout.

The Lightning is hoping to get forward Steven Stamkos back soon. The plans have been for Nikita Kucherov to rejoin the team in the post-season.

In their last 19 games, the Bolts have been held to three goals or fewer 16 times.

"We’re not giving teams much," said Lightning coach Jon Coopere. "Our goal-scoring hasn't' done that much either. We had soem good looks tonight. I would take that game again and take those same chances and bet a few more than zero would go in. "

The Bolts' Ryan McDonagh thought he’d broken through with a shot from the left point in the third period, but Detroit challenged for goaltender interference and the goal was overturned after officials ruled Ondrej Palat impaired goalie Thomas Greiss’ ability to play his position in the crease prior to McDonagh’s goal.

Cooper protested "especially since they called goal on the ice. From my vantage point, Pally was on the white and got pushed into the blue. They initiated that. It sucks, but I don’t think the game hinged on that."

McElhinney stopped all 15 hots he saw in regulation and overtime, but gas up four goals on eight shots in the shootout.

The Bolts will play against the Red Wings again today in Detroit. The puck is scheduled to drop at 3 p.m.

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