TAMPA Youth Jamie McGinn Jersey , Fla. — Just two games in to the season, Stanley Cup favorite Tampa Bay is already under scrutiny as the Lightning head into Saturday’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.The Lightning, who have endured an odd schedule to start the season, picked up two points in the opening two games but were underwhelming in both performances — a shootout victory over Florida and a late loss to the Vancouver Canucks.Tampa Bay was the highest scoring team in the league last season, but has scored just two goals in two games to start this season while going 0 of 8 on the power play.Article continues below ...“We need to finish. We’re not finishing,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. “We are shooting some pucks at the net, but we’re not going there with a desire to score. That’s what you have to do in this league, especially with the goaltending and the way it is.“These are NHL goalies. You have to go in there and get dirty ones. They are not all pretty. We’re probably resorting a little bit to trying to get the pretty goal.”But captain Steven Stamkos said it’s too early to start worrying about Tampa Bay’s ability to score goals.“We led the league in goals last year, so it’s just a matter of time Womens Jared McCann Jersey ,” he said. “That’s the least of our worries is scoring. That is going to come. It’s not cheating because it’s not coming; it’s playing the right way and continuing to improve. “The power play has to find a way to start producing … we have to work hard as a power play if we want to be difference-makers out there.”Columbus is getting contributions from its difference-makers, most notably Artemi Panarin, who had a goal and three points in a comeback victory at Florida on Thursday.Defenseman Zach Werenski had a goal and two points, and Cam Atkinson notched the game-winner late in the third period as the Blue Jackets have won consecutive games despite missing All-Star defenseman Seth Jones and center Brandon Dubinsky to injury.“We gathered ourselves and had an opportunity to win the hockey game,” Atkinson told NHL.com. “We got it done. We’re taking the right steps in the right direction. It might not be our prettiest, but we find a way to get it done.”‘But there are areas that coach John Tortorella would like to see cleaned up going forward so his players don’t have to rely on strong third period showings to collect points.“I talked to (the media) after the last game. We win in the third period and we win in the third period again, which is encouraging,” Tortorella told the Columbus Dispatch. “There (are) some great teaching opportunities for us here, as we found a way to win (Thursday’s) game. That’s the way I look at it.” CHICAGO (AP) It’s lucky No. 13 for Nathan MacKinnon. Just one of several positive streaks for Colorado at the moment.MacKinnon had two assists Jonathan Huberdeau Jersey , extending his point streak to a career high-tying 13 games, and the Avalanche beat the Chicago Blackhawks 5-1 on Tuesday night.Alexander Kerfoot scored twice and Semyon Varlamov made 44 saves as Colorado won for the fifth time in six games and improved to 8-1-3 in their last 12. Mikko Rantanen and Tyson Barrie each had a goal and an assist, and Erik Johnson added an empty-netter.The Avalanche (40-25-8) snapped a tie with Anaheim for the top spot in the Western Conference wild-card race and moved within two points of Minnesota for third place in the Central Division.”It’s crunch time and I think, not just myself, but everyone is playing really well,” said MacKinnon, who has 13 goals and 13 assists during his streak. ”We’re finding our gear and Varly has been really good, too. If you don’t have goaltending, you’re not going to win in this league Keith Yandle Jersey , obviously. He’s been awesome.”Chicago (30-35-9) lost for the sixth time in seven games. Defenseman Brent Seabrook scored his fifth goal of the season for the Blackhawks, and Anton Forsberg made 35 stops in his first start since he was pulled in the first period of Thursday night’s 6-2 loss at Winnipeg.The last-place Blackhawks were eliminated from postseason contention with the loss. They had made the playoffs for nine straight seasons, winning three Stanley Cups.”We had a disappointing second half to the season, to say the least,” star forward Patrick Kane said. ”It seemed like a lot of the games throughout the year went the way they did tonight: We score first and give up one, lose momentum and can’t regain it. Disappointing season? Yep.”Seabrook’s power-play goal put Chicago in front with 4:15 left in the first period, but Colorado responded with three in the second.With Andreas Martinsen in the box for slashing, a wide-open Kerfoot jumped on a rebound and beat Forsberg from the slot at 2:07. Kerfoot snapped a 14-game drought with his 16th of the season.The Avalanche then grabbed a 2-1 lead on their next shot. MacKinnon drew Forsberg over to one side of the net before playing it across to Rantanen for the easy one-timer at 5:01.”We’re playing with a lot of confidence right now and our top line has been really hot,” Kerfoot said. ”We know we can score goals and obviously with Varly playing like that Authentic Nick Bjugstad Jersey , we’re a tough team to beat.”Rantanen extended his point streak to seven games. The 21-year-old forward is tied with MacKinnon for most points in the NHL in March with 20 apiece.Rantanen and MacKinnon each picked up an assist when Barrie scored from the high slot on another power play, making it 3-1 at 12:40. Barrie extended his career-best point streak to 11 games, the longest run for an Avalanche defenseman since the franchise moved to Colorado.”Barrie’s been driving our offense from the back end for quite some time now,” coach Jared Bednar said.Chicago had three more power-play chances in the third, but came up empty each time. Johnson scored from the other end of the ice at 18:04, and Kerfoot made it 5-1 when he beat Forsberg with 57 seconds remaining.NOTES: Blackhawks C Matthew Highmore was scratched after he went hard into the boards during the second period of Sunday night’s loss to St. Louis. Martinsen was recalled on an emergency basis from the minors and put a big hit on Avalanche D Nikita Zadorov in the first period.UP NEXTAvalanche: Host the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday night.Blackhawks: Host the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday night.—Jay Cohen can be reached at [www.twitter.com]—