Lightning begin fivegame home stand on Monday, which includes Stadium Series
Jan 26, 2026
The Tampa Bay Lightning are finally back on home ice after having their 15-game point streak snapped on Saturday.Man, if we can go 82-0, I want to see the team that can do that, head coach Jon Cooper said.The Lightning arrived i
n Columbus on Saturday, playing the best hockey in years.Heck of a run by the guys, some uncharacteristic mistakes, Cooper said. Sometimes, just a reality check kicks in. Columbus got us. Good team.That all came to a crashing end with the Lightning losing 8-5. It was their first loss in regulation since Dec. 18.Its been a pretty grueling schedule for the guys. We talked about it. Not even 15 games here post-Christmas, different cities, Cooper said. Its been a grind for the guys. There is still a little bit left before that Olympic break. Our job is to get them dialed in for this last home stretch. You just cant take a breath.Before having the 15-game point streak snapped, the Bolts went 37 days without a loss in regulation, and still, they are looking up at Detroit for first-place in the Atlantic Division standings.Not only looking up at somebody, guys right behind us, Cooper said. There is just no separation. I dont know whats going on this year, but its going to be nail-biting time all the way until April.We know that every game, every point is very important, especially this year, forward Yanni Gourde added. Like you mentioned, you cant really distance yourself from anybody even though weve been on that long streak.Tampa Bay played 11 of its last 14 games on the road. But theyre in familiar surroundings as Mondays game against Utah starts a five-game home stand that includes the outdoor Stadium Series game on Sunday.Stadium Series is going to be a ton of fun, Cooper said. Gasparilla weekend, you can already see, drive down Bayshore, as soon as I see those fences and Porta-Potties, I know the pirates are coming.
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