Slow start dooms Bolts against Ducks

by Gary Shelton on January 22, 2022

in general

Colton scored the only goal for Tampa Bay./JEFFREY S. KING

Saturday, 4 a.m.

They stayed up late for this?

You stayed up late to watch them?

The Tampa Bay Lightning took it on the nose late Friday night, losing 5-1 to the slumping Anaheim Ducks. The Ducks jumped the Bolts early, outshooting them 18-7 in the first period. At one point, Anaheim led the game 4-0.












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The Ducks had lost four straight games and had been shut out in its last two.

"You have to give them credit.," said Lightning forward Steven Stamkos. "Whatever game plan they had, they executed it well. They were shooting from eveerywhere. We were a step behind. We turned the puck over in the neutral zone a couple of times. We didn’t execute. We had a lack of emotion, a lack of focus , a lack of structure."

Given the chance to write off the loss as "one of those nights," Stamkos shrugged and said "it should never be that bad."

The Lightning had been tied for the NHL lead in points with Florida before the game. The Panthers passed Tampa Bay with an overtime win againstsVancouver.

Ross Colton scored the only goal for Tampa Bay.

Lightning coach Jon Cooper suggested his team "played slow."

"No question the right team won tonight," Cooper said. "It’s one of those nights where we had a chance to claw our way in it -- we had some great looks. They did everything but put the puck in the net.We had some looks, but the hole we dug was too deep.

"We started at 8 o'clock (Pacific Time) instead of seven."

The Bolts play again tonight In San Jose.The puck is scheduled to drop at 10 p.m. Eastern.


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