Tampa Bay Lightning: Top 4 reasons they have struggled this season

Fast Starts Not Being Sustained

The Lightning have played 12 home games and 15 away games this season. At home, they’ve scored the opening goal nine times. In doing so, they won six of those games. However, in the three games that they did not score, they wound up losing each time.

In their 15 away games, they scored the first goal seven times, winning four of them. But in the eight games where they didn’t score first, they’ve only won four times. Now, that doesn’t show much in the way that their fast starts aren’t sustained.

But this will paint a better picture. The Lightning have outscored their opponents 33 to 19 in the first period. They have ended 51.8% of their games with a first-period lead, and 7.4% of their games being outscored in the first. That’s an overwhelmingly clear sign that the Lightning very often jump out to a quick lead.

As for their second-period performance, the Lightning have scored 30 goals, while allowing 30. When entering the second period with a lead, the Lightning have scored 13 goals to 13. When entering the second period tied, the Lightning get outscored 15-17.

Meanwhile, when entering the second-period losing, the Lightning outscored their opponents 2-0. They’ve been outscored in the second period in 11 of their 27 games. What that shows is they struggle playing with a lead and only have positive outcomes when they need it the most – in a game where they play from behind.

As for the third period, they have scored 37 goals while allowing 34. In games where they enter the final frame with a lead, they tend to put it out of reach, outscoring opponents 23-15. In games where it’s tied heading into the third period, they get outscored 7-8. Meanwhile, when they are playing from behind to start the third period, they get outscored 7-11. They outscored their opponents in the final period in 11 games while getting outscored in 10 games.