Stingy Kings defense too much for Lightning

The crowd roared to life and the Tampa Bay Lightning showed some spark.

After just tying the game Tuesday night, Tampa Bay earned a power play and the energy was evident. With play in front of the Los Angeles Kings net, the goal horn sounded, just for a brief instant. However, a moment later momentum vanished, silencing the announced crowd of 16,489.

Kyle Clifford came racing out of the penalty box and took a long pass for a clean breakaway. His goal through the legs of Dwayne Roloson midway through the second period helped Los Angeles to a 3-1 victory, snapping the Lightning's string of seven consecutive games with at least a point (6-0-1) and dropped Tampa Bay below the .500 mark.

The Lightning lost ground in a playoff chase that already has proved an uphill battle. Tampa Bay is nine points behind Southeast Division leading Washington and 10 points behind eighth-place Ottawa.

Roloson made 17 saves in just his second start in the past nine games while Steven Stamkos, who turned 22 on Tuesday, notched his league-leading 35th goal of the season that tied the game at 7:49 of the second period.

But Tampa Bay will lament some missed opportunities, as well as the momentum-killing power play which went 0 for 3, including two chances in the third period. The Lightning continue to be mired in a 6-for-63 slump with the man advantage.

It was the one power play in the second, however, that proved costliest. Victor Hedman had a chance to score on a rebound off his backhand that hit just outside of the post. An itchy trigger finger up above sounded the goal horn and may have drowned out some on-ice communication as the power play time dwindled.

"Whether (the horn had an effect) yes or no, we have to be aware of it, there was 10 seconds left and we have to keep an eye," Lightning head coach Guy Boucher said. "The guy is coming out of the box, the time is there, Hedman almost scored and everybody thought it was going in. I guess everybody focused in on that and we didn't pay attention to the guy coming out of the box and he gets his puck on the stick at the right time.

"We didn't make many mistakes tonight, but it almost seemed like every one we made cost us."

The Kings, one of the stingiest defensive teams in the league allowing just 2.03 goals per game, are tough to beat when they score two goals. After Dustin Penner took advantage of an open chance from the slot with 2:14 left in the second, the task became near impossible as the Kings were 13-0-1 this season prior to Tuesday when scoring at least three goals.

"We didn't generate anything and that's on us," Stamkos said. "We haven't been very good (on the power play) all year and it has cost us a few games in the past and it certainly cost us a chance to get back in this game."

It made it even more difficult when the Kings were playing a game of dump and defend for most of the third while protecting the lead.

"They tighten down in the defensive zone and you don't have any openings at all in their zone," Roloson said. "They limit your time and space, they don't give you chances and they capitalize on your mistakes.".