Instant Reaction: Flames winning streak crashes against Lightning

Seconds later, the Lightning got an insurance marker. They passed the puck to the point where Charle-Edouard D’Astous fired a point shot. It looked like the puck may have glanced off Kevin Bahl, battling out front with Gage Goncalves, but either way the shot beat Wolf to give the home side a 2-0 lead.

Slightly later, Tampa scored a weird one. Zemgus Girgensons chucked the puck towards the front of the net, likely trying to set up a scoring chance for teammate Declan Carlile. Instead, Bahl, trying to block the past, inadvertently deflected it past Wolf to make it a 3-0 lead for Tampa Bay.

The third goal spelled the end of Wolf’s evening, with Devin Cooley entering the game in relief.

Shortly after Cooley joined the game, the Lightning made it 4-0, as a shot from Carlile trickled under Cooley’s arm and dribbled into the net.

First period shots were 10-5 Lightning. Via Natural Stat Trick, 5v5 scoring chances were 10-1 Lightning and high-danger scoring chances were 2-1 Lightning.

Midway through the second period Nick Paul scored on Cooley, but the goal was thrown out after a coach’s challenge due to Paul cutting through the crease and toppling Cooley over immediately before the goal.

Second period shots were 9-9. 5v5 scoring chances were 8-5 Flames and high-danger scoring chances were 4-3 Flames.

The Flames spoiled Vasilevskiy’s shutout bid early in the third period, with Joel Farabee beating him on a shorthanded rush to cut the lead to 4-1.

The Flames kept pressing, but couldn’t get another goal. Brandon Hagel and Nikita Kucherov broke out into the Flames end after a face-off win in their zone, with Kucherov scoring on the two-on-one to give Tampa Bay a 5-1 lead.

The Lightning held on for the win.

Third period shots were 9-4 Flames.

Why the Flames lost

The Flames had a rough first 10 minutes of this game. They were equal parts unlucky, out-skilled and out-muscled in their own end. They really found their game in the second period and avoided this game becoming a trouncing, but they just weren’t sharp enough early to keep this game close.

Red Warrior

Joel Farabee and Nazem Kadri were both consistently noticeable in the offensive zone, and Farabee had the Flames’ lone goal. We’ll give the nod to them jointly.

Turning point

The Lightning scored twice before the first 90 seconds of this hockey game had elapsed.

This and that

Wolf played just 5:52 of this game, making this (by far) the shortest outing he’s had in high-level hockey.

John Beecher registered an assist on Farabee’s goal, giving him his first point with the Flames.

After Burner

Join Ryan Pinder and Robert Munnich right after the game for After Burner!

Up next

The Flames (8-14-3) continue their road trip on Friday afternoon against the Florida Panthers.