1. LOSING SPECIAL TEAMS
The Lightning haven't controlled special teams in a game for some time. Back in January, the Bolts owned one of the most dangerous power plays in the NHL and were second in the League for penalty killing.
Now, both of those units are struggling and it's costing the Lightning games.
Toronto thoroughly outplayed the Lightning in the special teams portion of the contest, and that proved to be the determining factor in the 4-3 loss.
Toronto scored twice on its four power-play opportunities, including the game-winning goal on a nifty play at the edge of the crease by William Nylander after Kevin Shattenkirk had to sit in the box for four minutes following a double minor for high-sticking and slashing.
The Maple Leafs didn't need the full four minutes, Nylander scoring 50 seconds into the first minor to put the Leafs ahead 4-2.
"We kind of gave it back to them in the second, just in loose play and then I'm a prime example of it, that play I make in the second where I get my two penalties is unacceptable and obviously that goal counts as the game-winner," Shattenkirk said. "Those are things we can't have this time of year. That falls on me."
The Lightning, meanwhile, went 0-for-3 on their power play. They tried switching things up, bringing out the second unit first in hopes of providing a spark.
It didn't happen.
The power play gave up a few odd-man rushes against that Andrei Vasilevskiy was forced to keep out of his own net.
"We didn't play poorly 5-on-5. We didn't give them anything," Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said. "It was a total special teams game…When you're looking at their odd-man rushes, they were coming off our power play. Their penalty kill probably out-chanced our power play and their power play scored. So, to me, that was the difference in the game."
The Lightning have given up a power-play goal in five-consecutive games and have allowed multiple power-play goals in three of those contests. The power play has scored just four goals in the last 21 games.
Those units will undoubtedly bounce back. They're too good not.
But right now, it's tough being on the bottom dip on the roller coaster that special teams can sometimes be during a regular season.