TAMPA, Fla. _ The Lightning did it again. They allowed a couple of quick goals in succession. This time it was only two, not three, but the result was the same: a loss.
The Islanders scored twice within two minutes in the second period and went on to a 5-1 win on Monday night.
First Russ Johnston elevated a shot over Luke Schenn, sliding to block the shot, and rang off the pipe and in at 6:44. That goal immediately followed a breakaway chance for Cory Conacher. The Lightning forward couldn't convert and shortly after, it was the Islanders who got on the board first.
Then the Lightning squandered a power play opportunity by giving up a short-handed goal. Johnny Boychhuk dove and chipped the puck to Casey Cizikas, who then fed it up to Josh Bailey for the goal.
The Islanders immediately got another mini-breakaway chance as Brock Nelson created a turnover a the blue line, then walked in with it. But Curtis McElhinney made the save on that one.
Late in the second period, Steven Stamkos backhanded a shot-pass from Kevin Shattenkirk past goalie Semyon Varlamov for his third goal in two games. But it was the only goal the Lightning would score.
They gave up three more in the third period. Victor Hedman appeared to have narrowed the game to one, but it was called back due to Anthony Cirelli being offsides. The Islanders took it from there and put the game away.
