Bolts making bright start

So, it's probably time we took a look at the Bolts, who are going steady if not great so far. But hey, anything's better than last season, right?

Last night the Lightning showed some impressive spirit (something that was never lacking) in coming back from three goals down to tie at Anaheim. Trouble is, they then lost in OT with the Ducks captain Scott Niedermayer scoring on the power-play goal 52 seconds into overtime for a 4-3 win. Jeff Halpern, Steven Stamkos and Martin St. Louis scored for the Lightning, and Malone and Steve Downie each had two assists.

The loss leaves Tampa (8-4-7) for the season on 23 points in the Southeastern Division, second behind Washington, on 30. Stamkos has 14 goals so far, and St Louis 15 assists, so the numbers are stacking up.

But as ever with the Bolts, it seems, the stats don't tell the whole story. The OT loss meant Lightning kept their streak of games without a regulation loss to seven and battled back from three goals down. That said, it meant a seventh overtime or shootout loss of the season for Tampa. But the Lightning have improved to 4-0-3 in the past seven games, 6-1-5 in the past 12 and are unbeaten in regulation (3-0-2) in their past five games on the road.

So actually, this far, it ain't all bad. Which is more than can be said for certain other Tampa Bay professional sports teams...

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