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Lightning loses at Hurricanes

 
Nathan Gerbe puts the Hurricanes up 2-0 when a shot caroms off the back boards to give him a shot at an open net during the first period. It was the second fortunate bounce for Carolina.
Nathan Gerbe puts the Hurricanes up 2-0 when a shot caroms off the back boards to give him a shot at an open net during the first period. It was the second fortunate bounce for Carolina.
Published Jan. 28, 2015

RALEIGH, N.C. — The Lightning figured it might be a little rusty coming out of the All-Star break.

What it didn't envision was falling behind two goals in the first six minutes Tuesday against last-place Carolina, including giving up an own goal 22 seconds in. Both came on unlucky bounces, but that offered little solace.

"Terrible," coach Jon Cooper said. "Unacceptable."

Cooper called timeout, and the Lightning responded, but it wasn't enough in a 4-2 loss to the Hurricanes at the PNC Center.

"Obviously we weren't ready to start this game," captain Steven Stamkos said. "Hopefully this is just a game where we can just shake off the cobwebs, shake off the rust and get back to business."

On Thursday, Tampa Bay (30-15-4) hosts the Red Wings, who took over first in the Atlantic. The Lightning also dropped from first place in the Eastern Conference to third, just one point ahead of fourth-place Montreal, which has three games in hand. And a daunting February schedule hasn't begun.

"There's no margin for error," Cooper said. "You have to consistently win to stay there. Sixteen teams in the East, only half make it. When there's three points up for every game, it keeps things close. We just have to turn the page."

It's not like the Lightning played poorly. Well, its power play did, going 0-for-3 with just two shots. Tampa Bay controlled play for large portions of the game, outshooting Carolina 30-22. But its hole was too deep.

On the first shift, Stamkos turned the puck over in the Lightning zone. Eric Staal collected it, with his cross-crease pass deflecting off the stick of Lightning defenseman Anton Stralman into the net. The Hurricanes (17-25-5) got another favorable bounce six minutes later, when a point shot caromed off the back boards right to Nathan Gerbe, who put it into an open net.

"It's hard to win games when you come out like that," goalie Ben Bishop said. "They got some lucky goals to start the game, but they came out and took it to us in the first 10 minutes."

The Lightning battled back, outshooting the Hurricanes 10-0 in the second half of the first period. Cedric Paquette scored his first goal since Nov. 15 to pull within one.

But the special teams proved the difference. Carolina's Justin Faulk scored a power play goal on a wrist shot, which got through a screened Bishop. "Never saw it," Bishop said.

While the Lightning got within a goal in the second on a shorthanded breakaway by Brian Boyle, that was it. Tampa Bay's power play, which has fizzled after a strong start, often struggled to set up.

"Special teams can win the game," Stamkos said. "Especially when it gets tight."

Give Carolina goalie Anton Khudobin credit, as he had 28 saves. But the Lightning didn't help its cause.

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Said Stamkos: "Maybe we can come out and start the game on time next time."

Hurricanes 2 1 1 4
Lightning 1 1 0 2

First Period—1, Carolina, E.Staal 16 (Jo.Staal), :22. 2, Carolina, Gerbe 5 (Lindholm, Bellemore), 6:05. 3, Tampa Bay, Paquette 6 (Drouin, Sustr), 14:05.

Second Period—4, Carolina, Faulk 9 (Jo.Staal), 8:27 (pp). 5, Tampa Bay, Boyle 10, 14:06 (sh).

Third Period—6, Carolina, Tlusty 12 (Faulk, E.Staal), 7:53.

Shots on Goal—Tampa Bay 14-8-8—30. Carolina 7-10-5—22. Goalies—Tampa Bay, B.Bishop. Carolina, Khudobin. A—12,508 (18,680). T—2:24.