Saturday, 4 a.m.
There are times they score like a pinball machine. They look fast, they look creative, they look dangerous.
And then there are times when they look slow, lethargic. When the opposing goaltender looks bigger than the net behind him.
And those are the moments the Tampa Bay Lightning are struggling to overcome.
Content beyond this point is for members only.
Already a member? To view the rest of this column, sign in using the handy "Sign In" button located in the upper right corner of the GarySheltonSports.com blog (it's at the far right of the navigation bar under Gary's photo)!
Not a member? It's easy to subscribe so you can view the rest of this column and all other premium content on GarySheltonSports.com.
The Bolts disappointed again Friday night, falling 5-1 to the Washington Capitals. It was the team's sixth loss in regulation this year; in all six of them, they have scored two goals or fewer, which has them in fifth place in the Atlantic Division.
"I would say the main thing is consistency," said Lightning coach Jon Cooper. "There are times our five-on-five play is good, and our special teams aren't. There are times our special teams are good, and our five-on-five isn't."
The Bolts were unable to score on a five-minute man-advantage in the second period. They were 0-3 on power plays (Washington was 0-6).
Tampa Bay managed 29 shots, but only Nick Perbix was able to score. Darcy Kuemper of the Caps stopped the other 28 shots.
Bolts' goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy fell to 4-5 on the season. He is tied for 23rd in the league in wins, a stat he often leads the league in.
The teams play again Sunday night, this time in Tampa at 7:10 p.m.