By the Numbers: Lightning crashes as playoffs near
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The Tampa Bay Lightning have just two wins in their past nine games as they gear up for what would be a fourth straight trip to the Stanley Cup final this spring.
The Lightning have picked up just six of a potential 18 points during the stretch, which was kicked off by a 7-4 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Across the nine games, Tampa Bay has been outscored 37-24, allowing 4.11 goals per game while scoring just 2.67.
The team's latest loss was a 3-2 defeat to the Winnipeg Jets Sunday, in which they outshot their opponents 35-22. Forward Alex Killorn said he believed the Lightning showed signs of improvement in the game.
“I thought we had a ton of chances tonight,” Killorn said. “I thought we played a good, solid game. Obviously, we didn’t get the win. I don’t even know how many posts we hit during the game.
"The way we played is going the right way, and if you do that consistently you’re going to win a lot more than you lose.”
Their most recent stretch, which dates back to Feb. 26, is a part of a larger trend for the Lightning. The team has seen its numbers drop off since the All-Star break at the beginning of February.
Compared to the first four months of the season, the Lightning have seen a swing of more than a goal per game in the wrong direction over the past six weeks. The team's offensive output has dropped from 3.63 goals per game to three, while allowing 3.37 goals per game, up from 2.92 before the break.
Lightning Struggles since All-Star Break
| Date | Record | GFPG | GAGP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct. 7 - Feb. 1 | 32-15-1 | 3.63 | 2.92 | 26.7 | 80.9 |
| Feb. 1 - Present | 7-7-5 | 3 | 3.37 | 23.2 | 76.4 |
Vasilevskiy struggling alongside Bolts
Andrei Vasilevskiy remains near the top of league in goaltending statistics, sitting tied for second in the NHL with 29 wins.
But the 2019 Vezina Trophy winner has struggled along with the team of late. In five starts this month, Vasilevskiy has a 1-2-2 record with a .865 save percentage and a 3.99 GAA.
The 28-year-old, who has a 29-17-4 record on the season with a .914 save percentage with a 2.70 goals-against average, has yet to post a save percentage below .903 in any month this season.
Road woes for Lightning
At 3-5-1 on the road since the All-Star break, the Lightning have dropped below the .500 mark away from Amalie Arena.
Tampa Bay is 15-16-1 on the road this season, compared to a dominant 24-6-5 record on home ice.
Having spent the season fighting with the Toronto for second in the Atlantic Division, the Lightning enter play Tuesday four points back of the Maple Leafs with one more game played.
Tampa Bay did not have home ice advantage in the first round last season, when the team defeated the Maple Leafs in Game 7 at Toronto's Scotiabank Arena to advance.
Looking to turn their recent fortunes around, the Lightning will visit the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday.