TAMPA, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Lightning are finally back on home ice after having their 15-game point streak snapped on Saturday.
“Man, if we can go 82-0, I want to see the team that can do that,” head coach Jon Cooper said.
The Lightning arrived in Columbus on Saturday, playing the best hockey in years.
“Heck of a run by the guys, some uncharacteristic mistakes,” Cooper said. “Sometimes, just a reality check kicks in. Columbus got us. Good team.”
That all came to a crashing end with the Lightning losing 8-5. It was their first loss in regulation since Dec. 18.
“It’s been a pretty grueling schedule for the guys. We talked about it. Not even 15 games here post-Christmas, different cities,” Cooper said. “It’s been a grind for the guys. There is still a little bit left before that Olympic break. Our job is to get them dialed in for this last home stretch. You just can’t take a breath.”
Before having the 15-game point streak snapped, the Bolts went 37 days without a loss in regulation, and still, they are looking up at Detroit for first-place in the Atlantic Division standings.
“Not only looking up at somebody, guys right behind us,” Cooper said. “There is just no separation. I don’t know what’s going on this year, but it’s going to be nail-biting time all the way until April.”
“We know that every game, every point is very important, especially this year,” forward Yanni Gourde added. “Like you mentioned, you can’t really distance yourself from anybody even though we’ve been on that long streak.”
Tampa Bay played 11 of its last 14 games on the road. But they’re in familiar surroundings as Monday’s game against Utah starts a five-game home stand that includes the outdoor Stadium Series game on Sunday.
“Stadium Series is going to be a ton of fun,” Cooper said. “Gasparilla weekend, you can already see, drive down Bayshore, as soon as I see those fences and Porta-Potties, I know the pirates are coming.”
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