Lightning Fall 5–2 at Home to Blue Jackets as their recent struggles continue

The Tampa Bay Lightning’s weekend performance exposed several key weaknesses that resurfaced in Tuesday’s loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. To understand what went wrong, it’s worth taking a step back.

The Lightning lost a few positions in the East after the Olympic break, dropping to third in the conference and second in the division with 82 points in 64 games. 

Something that was supposed to be a good recharge time didn’t work to a full extent for the Bolts. While they are in safe mode, they are still affected by other human factors. The team is 2-5 in the last seven games. 

Turning aside from struggles to leadership, on March 25, Jon Cooper will mark his 13th anniversary as the Lightning head coach. Even though he has never won the Jack Adams Award (best NHL coach), he has two Stanley Cups, 11 playoff appearances, and over 1,000 games on his resume. He turned a diamond, Nikita Kucherov, three-time Art Ross Trophy winner, into one of the league’s brightest stars.

Recent weeks have been tough for Cooper. First, Team Canada lost to Team USA in the Olympic final. After returning from Italy, he lost his father. Undoubtedly, he faces emotional strain, but the NHL season remains relentless.

Defensive issues

It’s not a flattering statement, but the Lightning game has fallen apart since Victor Hedman’s return. The captain looked stressed during his couple of matchups before the Olympic break. He was slow, made poor decisions with the puck, was soft in corners, and in individual battles. But given his absence since Dec. 9, 2025, due to injury and limited ice time, it was natural to cut the veteran defenseman some slack.

Now, Cooper faces a dilemma. Besides Darren Raddysh (17G, 58P) and J.J. Moser (6G, 23P) stepping up, other blueliners are developing well. Meanwhile, Victor Hedman, a respected captain and likely future Hall of Famer, has become a partial liability on the ice. As a veteran, Hedman should be out there with his partners, but he slows the team with frequent turnovers. Jon Cooper isn’t Mike Keenan or John Tortorella. He won’t bench Hedman. The Lightning captain deserves a chance to regain his optimal condition. It’s not about his points, but rather his ability to be at his best for his team under pressure. The captain’s first goal of the season came against Buffalo on Feb 28. 

Backup goalie

Jonas Johansson had some good times this season with 10 wins, 3.23 GAA, and .884 SA in 22 games. He is ranked #45 among all NHL goalies this season. Unfortunately, Johansson doesn’t add confidence to his team. The Sunday matchup against the Buffalo Sabres proved the point. After scoring five consecutive times and taking a 6-4 lead, the Lightning allowed four more goals in less than 10 minutes and lost 8-7. It was a team failure, but the Bolts allowed eight goals for the second time this season while Johansson was in the net.

The Lightning might be in trouble in the upcoming playoffs if Andrei Vasilevskiy needs a break. Fans will have to pray for Vasy’s health, or the run will not last long. However, Kucherov (34G, 103P) is in great condition, registering five goals and 12 points in the last seven matchups.

Panthers Copycat

The International Women’s Day hockey between the Sabres and Lightning may have been an entertaining evening for fans, but neither coaching staff was prepared for 15 goals in a 60-minute game. In Buffalo, the guests fought more than they played—and paid the price. Excessive brutality isn’t their style. 

The Bolts are not the Panthers or Senators. It’s not Brandon Hagel’s job to gain roughing and boarding penalties. He collected two points, 11 PIMs, and a $5,000 fine for an on-ice altercation with Rasmus Dahlin. The Buffalo Sabres coach, Lindy Ruff, set a successful trap, and the Bolts fell for it. They were easily distracted and lost sight of their mission. Teams totaled 102 penalty minutes, 57 by the Bolts.

Miscommunication, careless play, fighting, and poor goaltending doomed the Bolts against Buffalo on March 8. But the situation also highlighted all the struggles in different areas. 

On Tuesday, the Tampa Bay Lightning suffered a 5–2 home loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets, continuing their recent struggles.