The Tampa Bay Lightning did not have Nikita Kucherov on the ice for Friday's matchup with the Detroit Red Wings. It was a brutal blow for a Tampa team still trying to find its footing early in the season. Unfortunately, Victor Hedman and the rest of his teammates were unable to pick up the slack at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan.

Axel Sandin-Pellikka opened the scoring for the Red Wings in the first period. Detroit held this 1-0 lead for much of the game. However, JJ Moser was able to get one past John Gibson to tie the game 1-1. This forced overtime, with momentum on Tampa's side. They even got a Grade A scoring chance in the extra frame.

Jake Guentzel attempted to find Hedman across the slot with a pass. However, it knocked off Brandon Hagel's stick and off the boards. It came out to center ice, where Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin found it. He had a breakaway, and he didn't miss his shot.

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After the game, Hedman wasn't stressing the blown scoring chance. It's just part of the game sometimes, in his view. “That happens. I’ve got a simple backdoor tap-in, but it hits a stick and suddenly it is a breakaway the other way,” the Lightning star said.

This win gives the Red Wings four in a row as they continue rebounding from a brutal opening night loss. It was an especially promising performance from Gibson, who turned aside 31 of the 32 shots he faced on Friday night.

For the Lightning, this defeat continues a rather slow start for them. Tampa Bay has dropped four of its first five games, and its second in a row. It's certainly still early on, but this is a concerning start for a group as skilled as this. Tampa doesn't have long to dwell on this loss, though, as they face the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday night.