NHL scores 2017: The floundering Lightning are doing themselves no favors

The Lightning are lucky to only be four points back in the wild card race. Sure, they have seven other teams besides themselves fighting for that one spot in the wild card, but considering the year Tampa Bay has had, they’ll likely play with those odds.

This NHL season has been defined by the surprise teams. The Blue Jackets, for example, have thrown a wrench in the Eastern Conference playoff scenario. See also, the Oilers for the West. Because of this unlikely alignment, it’s caused many star teams to have tumbled down the ranks. What it doesn’t explain is what’s wrong with the Lightning?

Injuries might be the first thing you turn to. After all, they’re missing lightning rod — if you’ll excuse the pun — and 60-plus point player Steven Stamkos thanks to a lateral meniscus tear. Rookie Brayden Point fell to an upper-body injury just as he was hitting his stride at the end of December that has him out for a few more weeks, at least. Various dings to their defense have kept Victor Hedman out of the lineup for a few games, and Ben Bishop saw almost a month recuperating from a lower-body injury.

In short, the injury bug hasn’t been kind.

Yet, the goaltending also hasn’t been its usual solid self. Bishop was on shaky ground even before his injury, and Andrei Vasilevskiy hasn’t played well at all during his time as the starter. Their combined save percentage was .908 through 47 games played coming into Saturday before Bishop was lit up for five against the Coyotes.

With 34 games left on the schedule, there’s still time for the Lightning to fight their way through the masses, despite the news that Tampa Bay is essentially a .500 team as of this moment.

Jets 5, Blues 3
Blue Jackets 3, Hurricanes 2
Senators 3, Maple Leafs 2 (SO)
Sabres 3, Canadiens 2 (OT)
Islanders 4, Kings 2
Devils 4, Flyers 1
Coyotes 5, Lightning 3
Capitals 4, Stars 3 (OT)
Wild 5, Ducks 3
Oilers 7, Flames 2
Sharks 3, Avalanche 2 (OT)

1. The Islanders had an important streak broken

Islanders head coach Jack Capuano was fired on Tuesday. Coming into Saturday, however, the Islanders were running on a two-day shutout streak and counting — and yes, they fired their coach after a win.

Unfortunately, the Islanders’ shutout streak lasted only 166:44 after Jeff Carter broke it with a goal 37 seconds into the third period. Fortunately, the Islanders beat the Kings 4-2 for their third win in a row, and they’re now just one point behind the Lightning in the wild card race.

Is this a turning point for the Islanders season?

2. Minnesota continues to be the league’s hottest team

A furious third period saw the Wild battle back from a one-goal deficit to come up leading by two, thanks to three goals in two minutes. The league has seen a few streaks come and go since the Wild dropped theirs on New Year’s Eve, but the Wild continue to be the league’s best team for the past month and a half:

Minnesota has risen so far that it’s caught the Blackhawks at the top of the Central. It wasn’t so long ago either that Chicago held a pretty substantial lead above the rest of the pack.

3. A beatdown in Calgary solidified the Oilers playoff hopes

With the Ducks’ loss in Minnesota, the Oilers — and the Sharks too, with their win — are now just one point back of the Pacific lead. San Jose is a given in the top three, but Edmonton’s been yet another surprise that this season has had to offer. Connor McDavid had one goal in the Oilers’ 7-3 rout of the Flames, and it was really the depth players that came to play for Edmonton.

Chad Johnson was pulled after allowing three goals on his first four shots faced while 23-year-old Laurent Brossoit put together a dandy for his first start of the season. Brossoit saved 34 in his first ever NHL win as well. What a different look for this Oilers club.

The Maple Leafs lost in a shootout 3-2, but Mitch Marner’s goal here is something to behold:

The Sabres and Canadiens played to overtime. Buffalo won, but the reason it got there was because Carey Price made a stellar save with six seconds left in the third. Then in overtime Robin Lehner countered with a glove snag of his own to rival Price. Goaltending at it’s finest here:

Useless, but interesting, stat about our friends in Washington:

The Capitals won, in overtime, against the Stars.