The Streak is Over: St. Louis Blues Take Down the Bolts
Honestly, it had to happen eventually. After weeks of watching the Tampa Bay Lightning look basically invincible, their franchise-record-tying winning streak finally hit a wall. On Friday night, January 16, 2026, the St. Louis Blues beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 in a tense shootout at Enterprise Center.
The Bolts came into St. Louis riding an 11-game heater. They were scoring at will. Andrei Vasilevskiy was looking like a brick wall. But sometimes in the NHL, you just run into a goalie who decides he isn't letting anything past him, and that’s exactly what happened with Joel Hofer.
What Happened in the Tampa Bay Lightning Game?
The first period was... well, it was a mess for Tampa. Despite the Lightning controling the pace and living in the St. Louis zone for most of the opening 20 minutes, they somehow walked off the ice down by two. Talk about a gut punch.
Jake Neighbours broke the ice with about three minutes left in the first. Before the Bolts could even catch their breath, Nick Bjugstad found himself all alone in the slot just 30 seconds later. 2-0 Blues. Just like that.
🔗 Read more: Buddy Hield Sacramento Kings: What Really Happened Behind the Scenes
The Second Period Surge
If you've watched any Lightning hockey this season, you knew they weren't going away. Nikita Kucherov, who is having another Hart-caliber season, decided to take over. During a 5-on-3 power play in the second, Kucherov and Oliver Bjorkstrand scored just 62 seconds apart.
- Nikita Kucherov: Power-play goal (assisted by Guentzel and Point).
- Oliver Bjorkstrand: Power-play goal (the equalizer).
The game stayed locked at 2-2 through the third and a frantic overtime session. St. Louis actually had the better chances in OT, but a massive sliding block by Darren Raddysh saved the game and sent us to the skills competition.
The Shootout Heartbreak
Shootouts are always a coin flip. In this one, the coin landed on the Blues.
💡 You might also like: Why the March Madness 2022 Bracket Still Haunts Your Sports Betting Group Chat
Jordan Kyrou was the only skater to find the back of the net in the tiebreaker, beating Vasilevskiy with a slick backhand move. On the other side, Joel Hofer was perfect. He denied Gage Goncalves, Jake Guentzel, and finally Kucherov to seal the deal.
The Lightning finish the night with one point for the OT loss, extending their point streak to 12 games, even if the winning streak is officially dead.
Key Stats and Takeaways
| Metric | Lightning | Blues |
|---|---|---|
| Final Score | 2 | 3 (SO) |
| Shots on Goal | 36 | 21 |
| Power Play | 2/4 | 0/2 |
| Saves | 19 (Vasilevskiy) | 34 (Hofer) |
It’s kind of wild to look at the shot totals. Tampa outshot them 36 to 21. They doubled the Blues' output for most of the game. Sometimes you dominate the heat map and still lose because a backup goalie stands on his head. That's hockey.
📖 Related: Mizzou 2024 Football Schedule: What Most People Get Wrong
Why This Game Matters for the Bolts
Losing an 11-game win streak sucks, but the context matters. The Lightning are still 29-13-4 and sitting comfortably near the top of the Atlantic Division. They aren't "reeling." They just lost a close one on the road.
Jake Guentzel had six shots on net and couldn't buy a goal. That won't happen often. The power play is still lethal, and the defense actually played well, limiting St. Louis to very few high-danger chances after that weird first-period lapse.
What’s Next for the Lightning?
The road trip continues. There’s no time to sulk about a shootout loss in Missouri when you have to fly to Texas.
- Next Game: Sunday, January 18, 2026.
- Opponent: Dallas Stars.
- Venue: American Airlines Center.
- Time: 1:00 PM CST.
If you’re looking for a betting angle, keep an eye on the "Over." Both Tampa and Dallas have high-octane offenses, and the Lightning usually bounce back big after being held to two goals.
Check the injury report for any late scratches, but expect Vasilevskiy to be back in the crease as the team looks to start a new winning streak before heading home to Tampa on Tuesday.