The Tampa Bay Lightning entered the 2025-26 NHL season with high expectations and a roster brimming with talent. But after dropping their first two games on home ice — a 5-4 loss to the Ottawa Senators and a 4-2 defeat to the New Jersey Devils — the Bolts are searching for answers.
In both games, the Lightning showed flashes of dominance but failed to maintain control. Against Ottawa, they built a 3-1 lead early in the second period, only to surrender four unanswered goals. Head coach Jon Cooper cited poor execution and disconnected passing as the culprits. The Devils flipped the script, jumping out to a 3-0 lead before Tampa clawed back — only to give up a shorthanded breakaway goal that sealed their fate.
Special Teams: A Mixed Bag
The Lightning’s power play continues to be a roller coaster. They converted 2-of-3 chances against Ottawa but went 0-for-3 versus New Jersey, even allowing a shorthanded goal. This inconsistency mirrors last season’s late collapse in the playoffs, where their man-advantage unit dried up when it mattered most.
On the flip side, the penalty kill has been a bright spot. Tampa Bay has allowed just one goal on eight penalty kill attempts — an 87.5% success rate that, if sustained, would rank among the NHL’s elite.
Depth Scoring Offers Hope
While stars like Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point were quiet in the loss to New Jersey, the Lightning’s depth players stepped up. Darren Raddysh has three points through two games, and Max Crozier assisted on two goals. Ryan McDonagh and Yanni Gourde also found the back of the net, showing that secondary scoring might finally be materializing.
Oliver Bjorkstrand, who missed last year’s playoffs due to injury, is off to a strong start with a point per game. His preseason form has carried over, giving Tampa a much-needed boost in the middle six.
What Needs to Change
If the Lightning want to reclaim their status as Cup contenders, they must:
- Tighten defensive zone coverage: Too many breakdowns have led to momentum-killing goals.
- Improve puck management: Costly turnovers, especially on the power play, have flipped games.
- Get consistent production from top stars: Kucherov and Point must lead the charge offensively.
- Sustain depth scoring: Continued contributions from Raddysh, Bjorkstrand, and others will be key.
With 80 games still ahead, there’s ample time to right the ship. But the margin for error in the Atlantic Division is razor-thin. If Tampa Bay can clean up their execution and capitalize on their depth, they’ll be back in the playoff conversation in no time.
