Lightning Suffer Major Losses

The Tampa Bay Lightning entered Atlanta as a team on fire, leading the division and with a 14-4 record in the second quarter of the season. They leave it tonight after suffering a major loss on the scoreboard and also to their immediate future. They were demoralized with a 5-1 beating at the hands of the Thrashers, and damaged following an ankle injury to their leading scorer Sidney Crosby. The injury is expected to keep him out for up to two weeks.

 

The team has been through this before already this season, with the first absence coming in the form of a suspension to their captain. In the four games that Crosby missed, the team failed to win even one of them. They are hoping for a better fate this time, although they will be on the road for a good portion of Crosby’s absence, against some extremely difficult opponents. On their western swing, they face the Kings and Coyotes, the first and second place clubs in the entire league.

 

The team will hope that Ryan Kesler can take a more offensive role than he has been used for since his trade. The team has been using him entirely in defensive roles, playing him on the fourth line and on the penalty kill. He will begin in Crosby’s slot with Perry and Kunitz, forming one of the hardest hitting lines in the league, in the hopes that they can provide some solid physical play and provide needed offense. Will it work? Only time will tell…