NEWARK, NJ - The Devils lost their fifth straight game at home and fifth of their last six overall following a 8-4 setback to Tampa Bay at Prudential Center Thursday night.

The Lightning scored five of the game’s first six goals to build a 5-1 lead early in the second period and never looked back. A combination of sloppy play, unforced errors, bad breaks and tough goals allowed lead to the team’s ultimate demise.

Nick Paul, Darren Raddysh, Pontus Holmberg, Jake Guentzel, Oliver Bjorkstrand (2), Brandon Hagel and Brayden Point scored for Tampa.

The Devils received goals from Luke Hughes, Jesper Bratt, Angus Crookshank and Paul Cotter.

Here are some observations from the game:

• Luke Hughes scored his first goal in 13 games with a beauty. He had the puck above the far circle with pressure coming from Scott Sabourin. Hughes did a spin-o-rama to shake off Sabourin and get a free lane to the faceoff dot. Upon arriving at the circle he ripped a shot far side that found its way into the net.

• Another player that broke a goalless drought was Bratt, who scored his first goal in 17 games. He collected a pass from Simon Nemec to head in on goal for a breakaway. He faked backhand before pulling to his forehand for the easy deposit as goaltender Jonas Johansson was stuck floating.

• Crookshank picked up his first goal as a Devil early in the third period. He went unchecked and set up at the side of the Lightning crease. From there, Colton White fed him a pass and Crookshank re-directed the puck into the net for the tally.

• Late in the first period, Sabourin drove Luke Hughes into the boards from behind and smash him face first into the glass. Sabourin was given a boarding penalty for that. But immediately after the play, defenseman Brenden Dillon dropped the gloves and went after Sabourin. Dillon absorbed a lot of blows from Sabourin, though most connected witih the helmet. Dillon finished the fight with a tackle. But it was great to see an immediate reaction on the ice and team support for each other.

• Cody Glass picked up his 100th career NHL point with an assist on Cotter's third period goal.

• Goaltender Jacob Markstrom was pulled from the game at the 7:56 mark of the first period after allowing his third goal on seven shots. There were two goals that Markstrom will want back (though knowing his competitive mentality, he’d want back all three). Raddysh’s goal was scored from the blue line on a play that Markstrom lost track of the puck. Holmgren scored on a backhanded bouncing puck from the low circle that eluded Markstrom through the five-hole.

• Devils forward Xavier Parent made his NHL debut in the contest. He skated 9:42 minutes.

• The Devils were without forward Timo Meier, who has taken a leave of absence for personal family reasons.