SB Nation Tampa Bay - Lightning Skid Continues, Fall To Sabres 7-3https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/49019/tb-fave.png2012-03-20T00:21:58-04:00http://tampabay.sbnation.com/rss/stream/26501122012-03-20T00:21:58-04:002012-03-20T00:21:58-04:00Lightning Skid Continues, Fall To Sabres 7-3
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<p>The <a href="https://www.rawcharge.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Tampa Bay Lightning</a> sought to complete a season sweep of the <a href="https://www.diebytheblade.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Buffalo Sabres</a> on Monday night in the fifth game of a season-long seven game home stand. However, the Sabres avenged the earlier losses in the season and defeated the Lightning 7-3 at the Tampa Bay Times Forum.</p>
<p>Tampa Bay and Buffalo were scoreless until midway through the first period when <span>Drew Stafford</span> converted on a deflected puck, putting it past <span>Dustin Tokarski</span> at 11:31 of the period.</p>
<p>Tokarski didn’t have his best game on Monday night, he allowed four goals on 15 shots before <span>Dwayne Roloson</span> came in relief in the second period. Tokarski’s worst look was when he let in a rather soft goal in the first period when <span>Jason Pominville</span> scored from the short side below the face off circle.</p>
<p>The rookie let two more through before Roloson came in relief in the second period. Roloson didn’t have his best showing either, giving up three goals himself. At the same time, there wasn’t much help from the defense throughout the night for both goalies.</p>
<p>Defense was a major problem on for the Lightning against the Sabres. Tampa Bay allowed 38 shots in the game and never looked aggressive in its own zone. There were two untimely turnovers as well, including one from <span>Brendan Mikkelson</span> and <span>Bruno Gervais</span> which contributed to two of Buffalo’s goals and that had the Lightning trailing the Sabres 2-0 at the end of the first period.</p>
<p>According to Lightning coach Guy Boucher, scoring the first goal in games is crucial, especially with the situation Tampa Bay’s season is in.</p>
<p>"I thought the first 10 minutes were great, they showed up, they were great, but it’s tough when you start and you get scored on two in the first period and you miss the chances you had and it’s been like that for a little while now," Boucher said. "We haven’t gotten the first goal for awhile and I think we are in the position where we need to get a little help with the first goal."</p>
<p>Gervais, <span>Trevor Smith</span>, and <span>Ryan Malone</span> scored for the Lightning but the Sabres’ offense exploded, especially in the second period scoring four goals. Buffalo also outshot the Lightning 38-27.</p>
<p>Boucher addressed the importance of winning tight games, especially as the Lightning deal with injuries.</p>
<p>"We’re going to have to win our games 1-0, 2-1, and maybe 3-2." he said. "You know, when you miss the chances like we did in the first 10 minutes and they get theirs…it’s tougher, it’s tougher mentally, yes."</p>
<p>With the loss, the Lightning now sit nine out of a playoff spot and 12th in the Eastern Conference and its playoff chances are dwindling with only 11 games left in the season.</p>
<p>Tampa Bay is off until it faces Edmonton on Thursday night at 7:30 at the Tampa Bay Times Forum.</p>
https://tampabay.sbnation.com/2012/3/20/2886551/lightning-skid-continues-fall-to-sabres-7-3Patti McDonald2012-03-19T21:32:18-04:002012-03-19T21:32:18-04:00Lightning Trails Sabres 6-2 After Two
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<p>Things got uglier for the Lightning in the second period when the Sabres started to look even more aggressive in Tampa Bay’s zone. Buffalo opened up the second period with a goal at 1:09 from Marcus Foligno. Tampa Bay did however, score a pair of goals to negate Ryan Miller’s shut out.</p>
<p>At 7:12 of the second period, Bruno Gervais converted on an impressive pass through traffic by Teddy Purcell to make it a 3-1 game. Less than two minutes later, Buffalo’s Cory Tropp took advantage of a breakaway at 8:16, ending Dustin Tokarski’s time in net. Tokarski allowed four goals on 15 shots.</p>
<p>Then, Trevor Smith cut the Sabres lead in half when he scored his first goal of the season at 14:14 of the period.</p>
<p>Foligno saw the back of the net again, this time on the power play at 16:22 of the second period. 38 seconds later, Brad Boyes made it a 6-2 lead for the Sabres.</p>
https://tampabay.sbnation.com/2012/3/19/2886197/lightning-trails-sabres-6-2-after-twoPatti McDonald2012-03-19T20:35:06-04:002012-03-19T20:35:06-04:00Lightning Trail Sabres 2-0 After First
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<p>The Tampa Bay Lightning trail the Buffalo Sabres 2-0 after the first period.</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.rawcharge.com/">Tampa Bay Lightning</a> and <a href="https://www.diebytheblade.com/">Buffalo Sabres</a> were scoreless until midway through the first period when <span>Drew Stafford</span> converted on a deflected puck, putting it past <span>Dustin Tokarski</span> at 11:31 of the period. After the goal, Tampa Bay appeared flat and allowed Buffalo to get a flurry on shots on Tokarski.</p>
<p>The Sabres outshot the Lightning nine to five, but Tampa Bay did have a few good chances in the first period, including <span>Brandon Segal</span>'s slap shot on <span>Ryan Miller</span> earlier in the period. Miller however came up with a big save.</p>
<p>At 11:31, <span>Victor Hedman</span> was called for holding and Buffalo's <span>Jason Pominville</span> took advantage of the power play by scoring on the short side of the net from the bottom of the face off circle. Tokarski should have saved it and it was quite an easy goal to give up.</p>
<p>If Tampa Bay is going to get any points out of this game it needs to tighten up on defense or it will be a long night.</p>
https://tampabay.sbnation.com/tampa-bay-lightning/2012/3/19/2886063/lightning-trail-sabres-2-0-after-firstPatti McDonald