For the Tampa Bay Lightning, Friday night presented the opportunity to make history, both on and off the ice when the Washington Capitals came to town. After a pre-game ceremony introducing the the upcoming changes, some visible on the ice and around the St. Pete Times forum already, the Lightning went for their 7th straight win, hoping to extend their Southeast Division lead to 7 points against the Capitals.
Instead, the Capitals looked like the team chasing history, and they held the Lightning and their 1-3-1 system in check . Washington beat the Bolts 5-2, out-shot the Lightning 36-25, and generally outplayed them.
"Today, there was no fear," Lightninghead coach Guy Boucher said. "That's a lack of respect for the opponent."
This article appears in Feb 3-9, 2011.