This one was simply a stinker for the Tampa Bay Lightning. After battling through a brutal February schedule, the Bolts failed to show up at the BB&T Center losing to the Florida Panthers 4-3 tonight.
March is Atlantic Division month for the Lightning as they play 12 of 15 games versus division rivals. In a month that will determine playoff seeding, the Bolts started on a disappointing note. Tampa Bay didn’t start playing until halfway through the third period, when they pulled to within a goal with 2:44 to play, but they couldn’t overcome two-and-a-half periods of turnovers and bad penalties.
The ageless Jaromir Jagr had a goal and an assist and Jonathan Huberdeau had three assists to end the Panthers five game losing streak against the Lightning.
Anton Stralman, Steven Stamkos and Tyler Johnson scored for Tampa Bay who had won three of their last four games.
The Lightning are now fourth in the Eastern Conference, just one point ahead of the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins. They are still second in the Atlantic Division, five points back of the Montreal Canadiens.
Steven Stamkos said it best after the loss, “If we want to play the right way, we’ll be okay. If we don’t want to play the right way, it’s going to be a rude awakening.”
Luke Witkowski (healthy), J.T. Brown (healthy), Radko Gudas (knee surgery) and Matt Carle (abdominal surgery, week-to-week) were the scratches.
The Lightning will host the Buffalo Sabres Tuesday night.
(Feature Photograph/Getty Images)
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