2d straight loss for Flyers

TAMPA, Fla. - John Stevens' Flyers began an eight-game road trip with a five-game winning streak. Two games into it, they have a losing streak.

Tonight, it was a 5-2 defeat by the Tampa Bay Lightning at the St. Pete Times Forum in a game decided by special teams.

"The effort was much, much better tonight; we generated a good attack, but we didn't capitalize," Stevens said. "We lost the special-teams battle, and it cost us a hockey game."

Although the Flyers' penalty kill is ranked 12th in the NHL, it has developed some cracks and allowed two goals tonight. That's four power-play goals allowed over the last three games.

The Lightning had the third best power play at home - 26.3 percent (5 for 19) going in, but if you give up more than one power-play goal a game on the road, you won't win. Especially when your own power play - ranked third overall - goes 0 for 6.

"Tonight was a bad night," center Danny Briere said about the power play. "The part that hurt was the five-on-three. But it was the first time all year we had a five-on-three. You have to take advantage of that. It has to be a goal."

So, the momentum from early October is gone, and that might not be a bad thing, according to winger Mike Knuble.

"You start out 6-1, it's great, and now you step back and come back to earth a little bit," Knuble said. "It shows everyone what a fine line it is to win games. You still have to do things well - still have to play within the system, get power-play goals, and have great penalty killing.

"It's not once in a while, it's every night."

The Flyers trailed, 3-1, going into the third period when Knuble made it a one-goal game with his first even-strength goal this season at 3 minutes, 46 seconds. He fired a laser shot from the right circle past Johan Holmqvist.

In the final six minutes, Kimmo Timonen, who has had problems getting the puck out of the zone, dropped a pass to Briere. But Briere wasn't expecting it. Michel Ouellet threw it on net, off Timonen's skate, and that iced it.

"I looked up to see what they were doing, changing [lines], and when I looked back, the puck was past me going to the corner," Briere said.

Tampa built an early 2-0 lead against goalie Antero Niittymaki, who was making his first start of the season. He faced 25 shots.

"It's been a long time not being in the net for Niitty . . . and it was a solid effort there," Stevens said.

You couldn't blame Niittymaki for Jason Ward's deflection 6:50 into the game. Filip Kuba's point shot appeared to hit at least two people, the last being Ward.

Midway through the period, however, Niittymaki's rust was apparent. During a Lightning power play, Brad Richards took a long shot from the blue line. It was high and hard. Niittymaki saw it all the way - and whiffed on it.

Richards' shot sailed over his glove hand. That sequence had plagued Niittymaki last season, and it was something he worked on this fall. Other than that, he could not be faulted.

"When you have not played in a while, the speed of the game, it's not easy," he said. "After the first period, I felt better. The puck was bouncing everywhere, off skates and sticks."

Jeff Carter's team-high sixth goal made it 2-1 late in the first period. The Bolts added another goal on the power play early in the second from ex-Flyer Vinny Prospal.

There were some fisticuffs. Vincent Lecavalier dropped gloves with Scott Hartnell and got the better of him. Riley Cote took on Derek Roy, and that ended in a draw.