The Coyotes figured if they were going to lose one after winning eight in a row, they'd make it count.
Phoenix never really had a chance in visiting the Tampa Bay Lightning. After 19 consecutive starts, Ilya Bryzgalov was given the night off, and Jason LaBarbera certainly showed why Bryz had started every game since January 10th.
The Lightning got on the board five times in the first period. The 'big three' from Tampa all tallied goals, with Martin St. Louis scoring a pair of goals after Teddy Purcell opened up the scoring less than two minutes in. Goals from Steven Stamkos and Vincent Lecavalier came on the power play, as did one of St. Louis' two goals.
It didn't end there. They say lightning doesn't strike the same place twice, but Teddy Purcell added two more goals to his first period total for his first career hat trick. Purcell's outburst put the Lightning up by a touchdown in the second period.
At that point, there was really nothing that could bring the Coyotes back to respectability. Martin Hanzal scored in the latter half of the second to at least break the shutout.
If there was one positive to pull, as much of a stretch as it is, the Coyotes did win the third period. After Adam Hall made it 8-1 early in the period, the Coyotes scored a pair of goals to narrow the gap to "just" five.
Kyle Turris scored his 10th of the year, before David Schlemko netted his first of the season. Schlemko might have been the only Coyote to have a respectable game, notching two points and a plus-1 for the game. The only other plus player was Hanzal.
Despite the fact that the Coyotes had won eight in a row heading into this embarrassment, a very real fear came to the forefront for Phoenix fans. Bryzgalov can't start every game, and if he has to continue on 19-game stretches like this last one, it's going to be very difficult to perform at a high level come playoff time.
Phoenix will only have a day to recover from this, before they have to turn right around and visit the Blue Jackets in Columbus on Friday.