Slumping Lightning confident they can pull out of tailspin

By FRED GOODALL
AP Sports Writer

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Lightning insist they haven’t forgotten what it takes to be a champion. The slumping team hasn’t played well during a three-week stretch in which they’ve hardly resembled the dominant crew that won two of the past three Stanley Cup titles. Still, coaches and players say there’s no reason to believe they can’t pull out of a baffling tailspin and make another deep playoff run. Lopsided road losses to Buffalo and Carolina last weekend extended the Lightning’s longest losing streak in nine years to five games. The Lightning look to end the skid when they open a four-game homestand against Philadelphia.