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Lightning look to put a damper Panthers' playoff hopes

Mar 22, 2008 - 12:57 PM Tampa Bay (29-37-8) at Florida (35-31-9) 7:00 pm EDT

SUNRISE, Florida (Ticker) - Despite owning the NHL's second worst record, the Tampa Bay Lightning have played well recently. That is, until the third period.

The Lighting look to snap a two-game losing streak on Saturday when they visit the surging Florida Panthers.

The Panthers are 7-0-1 in March and have moved to within four points of eighth-place Boston (37-28-9) in the Eastern Conference playoff race. Their cross-state rivals haven't been quite as successful this year.

Tampa Bay has 66 points and is in last place in the Eastern Conference, just two points ahead of the Los Angeles Kings (29-40-6) for the worst record in the NHL.

The Lightning failed to improve their standing on Thursday, surrendering two goals in 16 seconds during the third period as the Pittsburgh Penguins sealed a 4-2 victory with the pair of tallies.

It was the second time in as many nights Tampa Bay yielded two goals in 16 seconds during the third.

Entering the final stanza against Buffalo on Wednesday with a 4-1 lead, the Lightning surrendered tallies by Jason Pominville and Jochen Hecht in that time span before Thomas Vanek went on to record a natural hat trick en route to a 7-4 comeback win.

"Two nights in a row, letting up two goals in 16 seconds," an astounded Filip Kuba said. "It's hard to believe."