The Streak is Dead, Long Live the Bolts: Why a Wild Night in Columbus Shouldn’t Dim the Shine on Tampa Bay’s Season
If you were glued to your screens this past weekend here on the Space Coast, watching the Tampa Bay Lightning navigate a brutal back-to-back set in the Midwest, you likely felt a distinct case of emotional whiplash. On Friday night, we saw the gritty, defensive masterclass we’ve come to expect from Jon Cooper’s squad in a shootout win over Chicago. Then came Saturday in Columbus.
Let’s just rip the bandage off: The 15-game point streak is over.
The 8-5 loss to the Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena wasn’t pretty. It was chaotic, loose, and frankly, a bit of a fever dream. But before anyone in Brevard County starts smashing the panic button or calling into the pod with doom-and-gloom takes, let’s take a collective deep breath and look at the reality of where this team stands as they return to Florida.
The Saturday Night Shootout
Saturday’s game in Columbus was the classic "schedule loss" trap, but the Lightning almost refused to fall into it. Playing on tired legs after the grind in Chicago, and dealing with a flu bug tearing through the locker room, Tampa Bay still managed to turn the game into a track meet.
Offensively, the guns were blazing. Nikita Kucherov, continuing his assault on the Art Ross Trophy race, put up a goal and three assists. He’s sitting on 26 goals and 52 assists now, orchestrating play with a vision that still leaves jaws on the floor. Jake Guentzel was equally electric, netting two goals and adding a helper. When your top line produces like that, you usually win.
But hockey is a game of mistakes, and the Lightning made too many in their own end. Jonas Johansson, getting the nod to rest Andrei Vasilevskiy, was left out to dry far too often. The defensive structure, usually the backbone of this 32-14-4 team, crumbled under the weight of fatigue and a surprisingly aggressive Blue Jackets forecheck. Mason Marchment’s hat trick for Columbus was the dagger, particularly his empty-netter that finally sealed the door on a frantic comeback attempt.
The bigger concern from Saturday isn't the scoreline—it’s the attrition. We watched Erik Cernak leave with an upper-body injury and Charle-Edouard D’Astous exit as well (and as of this morning, he’s headed to IR). With the defense corps already banged up, the depth is being tested. We saw 11 forwards and four defensemen trying to finish that game. That is not a recipe for success in the NHL, no matter how much firepower you have up front.
Context is King
However, let’s zoom out. The Lightning just rattled off 15 straight games with a point. That is absurd consistency in the modern NHL. They sit comfortably in second place in the Atlantic Division, breathing down the necks of the Red Wings and keeping the Sabres and Canadiens in the rearview mirror.
This team has found ways to win ugly, win pretty, and win when they have no business winning. Friday’s 2-1 shootout win in Chicago was a testament to that mental fortitude. Rookie Dominic James playing the hero in the fifth round of the shootout? That’s the kind of depth scoring and "next man up" mentality that builds championship equity for the spring.
Home Sweet Home: The Mammoth and The Jets
The road trip is over, and the Bolts are back at Benchmark International Arena tonight. And frankly, the timing couldn't be better.
Tonight at 7:00 PM, we get our second look at the Utah Mammoth. The NHL’s newest franchise has settled into their identity (and their name) in their second season, bringing a heavy, physical game. They’re sitting at 27-20-4, fighting for their lives in the Central, so don't expect them to roll over. They have some dangerous weapons in Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz, but this is a game Tampa Bay needs to have. It’s a chance to reset the defensive structure and get Vasilevskiy back between the pipes to calm the waters.
Later this week, the Winnipeg Jets come to town on Thursday. That will be a heavy, playoff-style matchup. But let’s be honest, all eyes on the Space Coast are looking toward the weekend.
The Stadium Series Spectacle
Sunday, February 1st. Mark it. Circle it. Tattoo it on your forehead.
The Lightning will head across town to Raymond James Stadium to host the Boston Bruins for the 2026 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series. Outdoor hockey in Florida is always a spectacle, but against the Bruins? The rivalry, the atmosphere, the massive stage—it’s going to be the highlight of the regular season.
While the points against Utah and Winnipeg count just the same in the standings, the emotional weight of that Sunday game is massive. You don't want to limp into an outdoor classic on a losing streak. You want to go into Ray Jay swaggering, reminding the league that Tampa Bay is still the gold standard of the Eastern Conference.
The Bottom Line
So, here is the takeaway for all you listening on the drive up I-95 or watching from the beachside bars in Cocoa: Saturday was a blip. It was a weird, injury-riddled night at the end of a long road stretch.
The Lightning are elite. Kucherov is playing at an MVP level. The power play is clicking. The only question mark is health on the blue line, which GM Julien BriseBois will undoubtedly monitor closely as we inch toward the trade deadline.
Tonight, against the Mammoth, look for a response. Look for the Bolts to tighten up the neutral zone, protect the front of the net, and remind everyone why that 15-game point streak wasn't a fluke—it was a warning shot to the rest of the league.
Puck drops at 7:00. Let’s get back in the win column.
Upcoming Schedule:
Tonight (Jan 26): vs. Utah Mammoth, 7:00 PM @ Benchmark International Arena
Thursday (Jan 29): vs. Winnipeg Jets, 7:00 PM @ Benchmark International Arena
Sunday (Feb 1): vs. Boston Bruins (Stadium Series), 6:30 PM @ Raymond James Stadium
