Sunday, 4 a.m.
What’s so great about home ice?
Especially when the opponent is the undefeated (in regulation) Colorado Avalanche?
The Aves clobbered the Lightning in only its second home game of the season Saturday night, winning 6-2 despite being badly outshot. Tyler Joust had a hat trick to lead the Avi, who scored three times in a three-minute burst in the second period to take over the game.
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“It sometimes turns into a game of mistakes,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. “The team that makes the most usually pays the price. i can’t sit here and say we made the most mistakes, but the ones we did make, they put it the back of the net. They’re a really good explosive team.”
The Bolts lost despite outshooting the Avi 46-24.
Yanni Gourde scored early for the Bolts, and Victor Hedman added a goal. But the Avs were able to skate their way into solid chances.
So far, the Bolts have born little resemblance to the force they were a year ago.
”I think comparing the years is unfair,” Cooper said. “Pretty much everything until the playoffs went right for us. That’s hard to do. We got burned by a good team in a few errors that we have to correct.”
The Avs’ Pavel Francouz made 44 saves in the win. It was his second career start.
“I think that’s a really good team over there,” said Kevin Shattenkirk. “A really fast team. We fed them a little in their transition team\ We gave up too manly chances and they’re a team to make you pay.”
Tampa Bay is hom against Pittsburgh on Wednesday night at 8 p.m.
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