E'ks note: John Gove is a published hockey blogger who has written for various outlets such as The Hockey Writers and the FanSided Network. He has spent time covering a wide variety of NHL teams including the New York Islanders, Philadelphia Flyers, Anaheim Ducks, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Nashville Predators. We are very pleased to have John covering the Tampa Bay Lightning for Hockey Buzz.
To claim that the struggles the Tampa Bay Lightning have faced this season are the result of one solitary thing would be not only incorrect but also foolish.
There are many reasons why the Lightning are currently on the outside looking in at the playoff picture 32 games into the 2016-17 regular season. Injuries have to be at the top of the list especially because one of those injuries involves Tampa’s best player and captain, Steven Stamkos. However, losing players to injuries is part of the game and is truly uncontrollable. If the team wants to turn this season around before it is too late, the Lightning need to focus on on-ice reasons for their struggles and make improvements immediately.
When looking at Tampa Bay’s numbers, it is obvious which aspect of the games the team is struggling most. To put it bluntly, the Lightning’s penalty kill has been absolutely horrendous thus far. They have only managed to kill off 78.2% of the power plays they have faced, making them the sixth worst team in that regard. They have allowed 24 power play goals (fifth-most in the league) and have been noticeably worse killing penalties on the road, allowing 16 of the 24 power play goals away from the Amalie Arena.
It does not help that the Lightning have been shorthanded 110 times this season which is enough for eight most in the NHL. If the team is the most vulnerable when they are shorthanded, they need to play a more disciplined game.
An awful penalty kill does not always result in failure. Take a look at the Chicago Blackhawks for example. They have the second worst penalty-killing unit in hockey but have still managed to acquire the most points in the entire National Hockey League. The difference is they are standing out positively in other aspects of their game.
The same cannot be said for the Lightning so far this season. Improvements can surely be made everywhere. However, if the team cannot tighten up their play killing penalties, it will continue to hold them back.