Lightning bury Blackhawks 4-1 in a game that never really felt close

Tampa Bay took care of business at home, sending Chicago out with a 4-1 loss. Four goals to one is the kind of scoreline that tells you who controlled the night, and this one belongs to the Lightning from start to finish.

The Blackhawks found the back of the net once, which is a tough return for any team trying to dig out of a hole. Chicago spent the evening chasing a game that Tampa Bay kept firmly in its hands, and a single goal on the board is a hard number to defend when you're on the road against a team that scores in bunches.

For the Lightning, it's a clean result that should satisfy a fan base that expects its team to close out games it's supposed to win. Four goals is a comfortable margin, and it means the home side didn't have to sweat the final minutes.

For Chicago, the takeaway is simple: one goal won't get it done against a team with this kind of firepower. The Blackhawks need more scoring from wherever it's coming from if they want to make these road trips a little less painful.

Final word: this was a 4-1 game with a clear winner, and the scoreline does most of the talking. Tampa Bay did what good teams do, and Chicago has some questions to answer before the next one.