Defensive mindset has slipped, so have the wins

by Erik Erlendsson | @Erik_Erlendsson | Like us on Facebook
December 2, 2016

TAMPA, Fla. – Since Jon Cooper took over behind the bench for the Tampa Bay Lightning, defense has been the ultimate focus.

The team can score. The offensive talent has always been there for Tampa Bay in the three-plus seasons Cooper has been in charge. So his mantra from the day he took have has been attention to detail on the defensive side of the ice.

The team has responded and become one of the top teams defensively in Cooper’s tenure, finishing fifth overall last season

That identity, however, has slipped this season as the Lightning have fallen in to the longest regulation losing streak since the end of the 2012-13 season. During the four games, Tampa Bay has allowed a total of 19 goals against. In the four games, the Lightning have allowed four or more goals in each game.

That is something that has never happened under Cooper. The last time Tampa Bay allowed four or more goals in four consecutive games came Feb. 10-16, 2013, under Guy Boucher. That came one month before Cooper took over.

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So the mentality of having to win games 2-1 or 3-2, which has been talked about for the past few seasons, has slipped. It’s an identity that needs to return for the Lightning to return to success.

While the numbers look bad for goaltenders Ben Bishop and Andrei Vasilevskiy, it’s not all on the netminders.

The play in the defensive zone has been rather soft, particularly around the net. Puck management has not been a high priority and when turnovers do occur, they usually lead to another mistake trying to make up for it.

That’s a big reason why Joel Vermin and Michael Bournival were recalled from Syracuse, to try and bring some energy and a mental shift back in to focus.

That won’t be easy with Washington coming to town, but perhaps it’s the best time to get back to playing that way defensively when a team that has the potential to embarrass you is on the other side. It can help snap things back in to form.

“I know people are frustrated with us but we’re more frustrated than anybody,’’ center Tyler Johnson said after Thursday’s game. “We expect more of ourselves. We expect to win, We’ve got to do the little things to do that.’’

Next test comes Saturday.

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