The Lightning scuffled through their worst first period of the season Tuesday night in Nashville, going into the first intermission down three goals and knowing they only had themselves to blame.
With captain Steven Stamkos out, trade acquisition David Savard playing his first game and fourth-liner Mitchell Stephens playing for the first time since January, there were some players in different spots. But that was little excuse for the sloppiness the Lightning showed through the neutral zone early in their 7-2 loss at Bridgestone Arena.
The five-goal margin of defeat was the largest for Tampa Bay this season. The seven goals allowed also were a season high.
The Lightning gifted the Predators five rushes, and Nashville scored on three. Trying to push the puck forward into the offensive zone, Tampa Bay too often turned the puck over in the neutral zone and found itself chasing odd-man rushes.
The Lightning (28-12-2) have lost six of their last 10 games, with Tuesday’s loss coming after a rare two days off between games. The Predators (24-19-1), winners of 13 of their last 15, were playing their third game in four days at home.
On two of Nashville’s first-period goals, Savard found himself defending two-on-one on his own, hardly the welcome the Lightning anticipated for their new teammates.
Backup goaltender Curtis McElhinney, making his first start in two weeks, allowed three goals on seven shots in the first period, but he was hardly to blame.
McElhinney was screened by defenseman Erik Cernak on Nashville’s first goal, as Colton Sissons rocketed a wrist shot from the left dot 6:38 into the game.
Nashville defenseman Roman Josi kept the puck on a two-on-one rush and scored on a wrister from the right circle 8:31 into the game.
As the Predators scored their first two goals, the Lightning went through a stretch of 7:24 without a single shot on net.
The Predators’ third score came on another two-on-one, with Viktor Arvidsson scoring off a feed from Ryan Johanson with 6:10 left in the period.
The Lightning were lucky they weren’t trailing by more at the first intermission. Forward Mathieu Joseph, elevated to the second forward line with Stamkos out, committed two first-period turnovers that led to Nashville rushes.
Tampa Bay isn’t the best of comeback teams, just 6-6-1 when trailing after one period. It scored a power-play goal early in the second — Brayden Point’s team-high 18th goal of the season — and held the Predators to five shots in the period. But a put-back goal by Rocco Grimaldi allowed Nashville to restore its three-goal cushion before the end of the period.
Tuesday marked the fifth time in their last eight games the Lightning have scored two goals or fewer.
Nashville goaltender Juuse Saros, a big reason the Predators climbed the Central Division standings into a potential playoff spot, won his 10th game in his last 12 starts.
Josi made a pinpoint pass to Arvidsson as he snuck behind Victor Hedman for a breakaway, and Arvidsson scored his second goal of the night with 10:01 left. Yanni Gourde responded with a putback of his own shot with 8:32 left.
Tanner Jeannot scored his first NHL goal with 5:26 remaining when McElhinney couldn’t contain a rebound, giving Nashville a four-goal cushion again.
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