Lightning 4, Thrashers 3 - Bolts WIN

Classy Thrasher fans. At least you're classier than Anaheim's fans.

Stamkos scored his 15th goal of the season to win this game 2:56 into OT.

Thoughts on the game:

• No TV broadcast=NHL fails at life
• The Lightning outshot the Thrashers 40-31
• The Lightning blew the 3-1 lead
• Lecavalier hit two posts

Next game is at home against the Leafs on Wedsnesday

Stamkos' Goal of the Year (so far)

Stamkos ok and Hedman is even more normal

During practice today Stamkos flew into the boards after getting tangled up in Mike Smith's stick. Smith was trying to poke check the puck, and instead got his stick caught in Stamkos' stick. Stamkos is ok, he said it was "nothing serious".

Hedman's baseline tests came back today, even more normal than the test he took during training camp. Hedman, turning into a comedian joked "Maybe I need a couple more hits,". Tocchet expects to play him on Thursday against the Lightning.

Both Lecavalier and St. Louis missed practice today due to a "body maintenance" and "recovery day" today.

Drew Miller was put on waivers to send him down to the AHL, we should know by 12pm tomorrow if he clears.

Elliotte Friedman Tidbits on Malone, Stamkos & Wright

Here is four from his 30 thoughts of the week:

13. OK, now the rest of the league: great, great line from one of the NHL’s funniest players, Ryan Malone. He watched the Penguins’ Stanley Cup victory with no malice. His wife even asked him if it was hard to watch. He said no, “Because if I was there, I’d probably have turned the puck over and they’d lost.”

18. Steve Stamkos worked with Gary Roberts during the summer. Stamkos said the worst thing Roberts made him do was run with a 75-to-100-pound sled strapped to him. He’d have to do two sets of five sprints.

19. Mike Babcock made a very interesting comment about the possibility of guys like Stamkos – who weren’t invited to the Olympic Orientation Camp – making Team Canada: “Who are they going to bump off the roster?”

27. After his team’s victory in Toronto, Lightning forward James Wright was stretching on the floor of the dressing room using a soft roller underneath his body. Why was he doing it there? “Because I don’t have enough seniority to get massage time,” he laughed. Wright is 19.

Could Vinny be dropped from Team Canada?

Haven't heard much about it yet, but the thought has crossed my mind a few times. I know I'll be buying some Team Canada apparel for the Olympics in a few weeks and I would lean towards Lecavalier if it was player specific, but I do have a small fear that Lecavalier could be dropped from the team...It's not a big fear, but a small one (right now) and I think I would be heartbroken if he was.

This topic will come up more as Steve Yzerman will be at the Lightning/Leafs game tomorrow to scout out Lecavalier, St. Louis and Stamkos (as reported by the Globe and Mail, via St. Petersburg Times). Yzerman is expected to announce his roster sometime between Christmas and New Years.

I know Yzerman will choose players based suited to give the team the best chance of winning, it makes me wonder, and at what point would Lecavalier get dropped? How many more games of no goals will it take to have another player who is played well right now slide in to his place?

Mike Brophy first brought this up a couple of weeks ago questioning Lecavalier's slow start, and I just brushed it off thinking that in time, the goals would come (and well Brophy is not high on my list of opinions that I care about). And I know the goals will come, but since there are so few spots available and so much great talent, I hope that Lecavalier lights up the lamp in a hurry.

Lightning 5, Sharks 2 - Bolts WIN!

The Lightning won this game with a huge team effort. I could hardly believe this was the same team we saw lose to the Senators and the Pens last week. This team looked like a team that could actually play hockey.














Barely into the 1st period, just 30 seconds in, Lecavalier makes a pass to St. Louis, who feeds the puck to a speeding Wright that is coming towards the goal and he taps the puck in the back of the net. Fans hadn't even sat down in their seats yet and this new line has already gotten it's first goal. This is the same rookie who just got promoted to the top line with St. Louis and Lecavalier, who also got his 1st NHL goal tonight, just 30 seconds in to the period.















The Lightning extended the lead by a deflection from Ryan Malone off of David Hale's shot, they are up 2-0 to end the 1st period.

Seriously?

In the second period the Lightning were able to kill off a penalty that Stamkos took for holding, and kept the Sharks from mustering any real shots on the powerplay. A turnover led to the Sharks getting a goal from Ryan Vesce on Mike Smith, 2-1. It's ok, the Lightning still look good playing. Stamkos steals the puck from behind the net, fans on the original shot but gets Nabokov to commit to his attempt, then manages to get a wrist shot off, 3-1, unassisted by Stamkos.

In the third period, Andrej Meszaros gets a shot off from near the blue line that ended up going off a San Jose skater, 4-1. While Lecavalier is off in the box for slashing, Boyle is able to get a powerplay goal on Mike Smith making it 4-2. But it's really too late, and Tanguay, even though he has no goals so far, feels Dan Boyle breathing down his back as he skates the puck, passes the puck to Stamkos who gets an empty net goal. Tanguay could have taken the shot and been checked or hooked, instead unselfishly passed the puck for the goal. Team effort.













Was tonight a showing of what we could see in the future? I hope so.

Next game Saturday night against Buffalo

Notes:
-Mike Smith got his first win of the season
-The Lightning blocked 12 shots, with Hedman leading with 3
-Joe Thornton and Dany Heatley didn't get a shot on net

Lightning 1, Penguins 4 - Bolts LOSE

Ok, it's Sunday night and I am just getting around to my review of last night.

Despite what TSN says about a game tomorrow against the Rangers, there is no game until Thursday.








In fact, the Lightning never play the Rangers on a Monday. It seems they are confusing the Lightning with the San Jose Sharks, which is maybe what I should really start doing when I want to watch some decent hockey. The TSN writers also forgot that Wild has a D in it.

The Lightning were outplayed last night by the Pens. I only caught the 1st period but that was really enough for me. It was like they forgot to play hockey. No offense and just looked like they were trying to fight off each wave of offense from the Pens. It was crushing to watch.

While on the powerplay from a high stick from Drew Miller, Niitymaki over committed to a shot from Malkin, and with Ranger taking a walk somewhere instead of covering his guy, Guerin was able to easily stuff it in, 1-0. Later in the period, Gonchar lets a blast go from the point, which Niitymaki should have seen coming, 2-0 ending the 1st period.

Stamkos did score in the 2nd period from a rebound from St. Louis while on the powerplay. The Pens got goals from Dupuis and Rupp in the 2nd and 3rd period respectively.

GM Brian Lawton gave the team a verbal lashing after the game, which could be overhead by reporters, though the specifics were not released about what was said. It's pretty big when a GM talks to the team directly, though was this the best thing for Lawton to do? They did just lose to last years Stanley Cup Team. MAF hasn't lost a game yet this year. And is it Lawton's job to address the team directly or Tocchet's?

Today Cristodero is reporting that the lines are being switched up (again) with Tanguay being demoted down to the 3rd line with Halpern and Miller. The top line is Lecavalier, St. Louis and rookie James Wright, and the 2nd line is Malone, Stamkos and Steve Downie. The 4th line will remain the same with Fedoruk, Konopka and Veilleux.

Just for the record, the Lightning have not won a road game yet, and Vinny hasn't scored in 14 games.

Next game: Thursday in Tampa against the Sharks

Lightning 3, Panthers 2 - Bolts WIN!

Last game was the Malone show, tonight was the Niitymaki show.

The Panthers came on strong in the 1st period, and while the boys were able to kill off a 5 on 3 (while our two swedes sat in the box together), the Lightning gave up a short handed goal to Dvorak at 8:10. The Lightning answered back late in the 1st with a powerplay goal by Stamkos from St. Louis and Lecavalier.

In the 2nd period, the Lightning came out with more energy, though only Nathan Horton scored for the Panthers putting them up 2-1.

In the 3rd period, while on the powerplay, Vinny passes the puck up to St. Louis who is coming on the left side, but being boxed out by the Florida defenseman. The shot that St. Louis wrists in on Vokoun comes from the left circle with no screen, somehow goes in a Vokoun. Vokoun wanted that one back since he clearly should have had that, but that's as bad as I'm gonna feel for him. Then, Niitymaki starts making some timely saves on the Panthers. The Panthers are applying pressure like crazy, with Booth on a breakaway chance. Niitymaki makes the save, then passes the puck up to Stamkos, who takes a shot on Vokoun. Save by Vokoun on the 1st shot, but Malone gets in the rebound to edge the Lightning up 3-2.

Niitymaki made some timely saves, and sometimes multiple saves in a sequence. And when he didn't, the crossbar helped him out in the 3rd period.

Notes: Vinny hasn't scored yet this season, but he did get 2 assists tonight, bringing him up to 5 in the season so far.

Next game: Thursday Oct 15 in Ottawa

WHC Update - Cinco de Mayo

Team Canada:
-Canada won over Norway on Sunday 5-1
-Stamkos scored his 6th goal of the tournament, making him the goal leader

"You know, coming in I was just trying to show everyone I can play at this level, compete at this level, and most importantly, I just want to help this team in any way I can," said Stamkos after the game. -from CTV

-Canada lost to Finland in a shootout yesterday (4-3) but still finished first in Group F
-Stamkos and St. Louis both scored in the shootout
-Canada's next game is against Latvia on Thursday in the Quarterfinals (game will be broadcast on TSN at 10:15am PT)

Finland:
-lost to Belarus on Saturday in a shootout 2-1
-as above, Finland won over Canada in the shootout (Rinne was in goal)
-Finland advances to play USA on Wednesday in the Quarterfinals

Latvia:
-was crushed by Russia 6-1
-will play Canada on Thursday in the quarterfinals

WHC Update

Photo from the Canadian Press. Stamkos celebrating the 2nd goal against the Czech Republic.

Team Canada:

-Canada played Slovakia on Tuesday and won 7-3, advancing in the tournament to the qualification round

-Canada played the Czech Republic on Thursday, winning 5-1. Stamkos had 2 goals and St. Louis had 1.

-Next game for Canada is against Norway on Sunday (will be on TSN if you live in Canada at 10:15)

-They will also have a game against Finland on Monday May 4th to finish up the round before the quarterfinals

-Stamkos has 5 goals so far in the tourney, tying Niko Kapanen for the tournament lead-

-St. Louis leads the tournament in points with 11 (4 goals/7assists)

Finland:

-Ramo started the game against Denmark where they wont 5-1. They have then played the Czech Republic, winning 4-3 to finish up the preliminaries. In the Qualification, Finald played Slovaki and won 2-1 in OT.

-Finland's next game is against Belarus later today, followed by playing Canada on Monday

Latvia:

-Lost to the USA, 4-2. Won against Sweden 3-2 in a shootout. Won against Austria 2-0.

-In the qualification, they won against Switzerland 2-1 in OT and won against France 7-1

-Next game: Russia on Sunday

IIHF WHC

I'm currently watching the Canada v. Hungary game on tape delay because of this mornings Rangers/Caps game. I hesitate to check the score to see how bad of a blowout this game will end up. I don't particularly enjoy to watch preliminary games or preseason games, but Hungary hasn't been in on the world stage since 1939 and since I have relatives from Hungary, I'm gonna watch this beating Hungary will take.

The first game against Belarus, our boy Stamkos got 2 goals and was named player of the game. St. Louis played with Stamkos and got an assist.

In the Canada/Hungary game, the final score ended up being 9-0, Martin St. Louis got a hat trick in and an assist. Nice to see the enthusiasm of the Hungarian fans at the game, non-stop cheering and singing.

For Finland, Karri Ramo's team got a win, 5-0 over Norway on Saturday in Group B. Ramo isn't the starting goalie, but is instead backing up Pekka Rinne.

Martins Karsums playing for Latvia, lost to the USA 4-2.

LIghtning 4, Devils 5 - Bolts LOSE

Even with the news that Vinny's done for the rest of the season, the rest of the team stepped up their game against the Devils. By stepped up, I mean the Lightning actually scored goals and kept the score close. Brodeur was being honoured for becoming the all time wins leader among goalies, so was sitting out the game which was good for the depleted Bolts bench.

Artyukhin opened up the game with a quick goal in the first and the Lightning had a strong 11 shots on net.

In the second, Kevin Weekes injures his wrist falling and Brodeur comes off the bench. I thought this would spell the end for the Lightning. Stamkos ties Richards' rookie scoring record at 21 on a powerplay goal! Ramo gets caught out of his net, threw his stick to deflect the puck. NJ gets a penalty shot. Shanahan beats Ramo and it's 2-1 Lightning The rest of the period, the Devils answer back with goals from Pandolfo and Langenbrunner. Periods over.

The third was another couple of goals. Malone gets one in an unassisted effort, his 26th of the season. Langenbruner answers back, and Karsums ties up the game with his first of the season.

This game goes to OT, and Zach Parise ends the game.

-There was only 5 shots in the seconds and 5 shots in the third from the Lightning
-The Lightning again, let on 39 shots

Stamkos ties rookie franchise record

As of 5:09 in the second period, Steven Stamkos ties Brad Richards' franchise rookie record for goals. Wooooo!

Seen Stamkos?

So the marketing of Steven Stamkos was a lot of pressure on our No. 1 draft pick. But nearing the end of the season, he's got 20 goals and is poised to tie Brad Richards' rookie season. Not so bad from the 19 year old.

Obviously, the Lightning marketing team hoped his career would have started off with more of a bang, especially with the amount of hype they created over Stamkos. The Seen Stamkos website is still up. But after watching the games in Prague, and waiting for the impact moment of our little draft pick, we were a little disappointed. The impact moment didn't come for a long time, and first one was not a goal, but rather an assist. The coaching fiasco from the Mullet did not help the his learning either.

Now 19, he's playing with confidence. You can see that he's making quicker decisions on the ice, rather than looking St. Louis to help direct the play and his shot has definitely gotten stronger.

I've often thought that in a few years from now we may look back on his first year as say that in retrospect it was good for his career. How am I reasoning this? Some rookies come to the NHL and have a great season, and the media goes crazy. Then a season of not so hot scoring or mediocre play and suddenly, and not so nice media attention, and they are questioning their skill level. Stamkos had all of the media from the get go. He dealt with the pressure of expectation, and the let down of not being able achieve the number of goals they were expecting of him. He battled through that, and quietly starting to rack up points.

If you asked me a 2 months ago about his rookie season and the Calder, the thought would not even cross my mind. If he had only played this great all year, he would have gotten a nomination.

It's hard with young players who start so early in the league right now, playing in the NHL at younger age then I really think they should. A few years in the minors would help the progress of the players, but with the salary cap, owners want to get all they can out of their low cost players. So after a rough 1st half and being a healthy scratch a few times for his "off ice training", it seems to have made him a better player.

Since the all-star break, he scored 13 goals in 28 games, and is now being considered to play for Team Canada IIHF in Switzerland along with Doughty and Schenn.

So will he match or break Richards' rookie mark? With 5 games left in the season, I'd say he's got a good chance of setting a new mark. Either way, I'm excited to see him play next season.

Lightning 3, Thrashers 4 - Bolts LOSE

The Lightning lose another game in the shootout. They've lost a lot of games in the shootout. It's been a trend.

The first period was penalty city. Hooking. Hooking. Hooking. It was like the Lightning were like cheap prostitutes being round up by the refs. They threw a tripping one in there just for good measure.

Stamkos comes back in the 2nd with 2 huge goals. Even Steven. Two PP goals, one from Kovalchuck and one from Prospal. The radio guys were discussing the merits about Prospal borrowing an s from Karsums, so they can call him Prospals. Retards.

We are tied 3-3 going into the third. Nothing happens.

And we go to a shootout. You know this isn't a good thing. What are the chances of winning, like 1 in 10. Hedberg stones all three Tampa shooters. Kozlov gets the only goal for the Thrashers.

-Stamkos got 2 more goals...number 17 and 18 baby
-Lashoff has 4 points in 3 games
-We have dropped 9 out of the last 11 games against the Thrashers. We have one more to go in the season. During the summer we are going to need to learn how to beat them, you can't get into the playoffs if you suck this much against the Thrashers.

Lecavalier: Hand Delivering Tickets

Now we all know that the 2009 season's tickets are now being sold for the Lightning. The Lightning website has been advertising for it about a week now on their website.

So on Monday, they started what they call the 'Goodwill Tour'. Players, coaches, broadcasters and executives are making surprise visits to 83 selected season ticket holders trying to get them to renew their package. Apparently even Oren Koules was out delivering renewal packages. No mention of LB though.














The players that were delivering tickets included Lecavalier, Stamkos and Malone, faces of the franchise. But imagine if you were got selected, and instead of Vinny showing up at your office/house, you get some VP in sales or a broadcaster?

I would feel gypped. GYPPED.

If I got LB instead of Stamkos? I would seriously consider giving him a piece of my mind. Y'know like an armchair GM to another fantasy GM, oh wait.....

But, from a marketing perspective it was a great idea. It shows the fans that the management actually are trying to care about their fans.

This was a tactic that was used by different teams during the summer. The Pens, Flames, Canucks and Sharks all delivered random season ticket holders' their tickets personally. It was all about the marketing, but a nice surprise if you ended up having Sidney Crosby or Dion Phaneuf show up at your door. It was a nice thank you to the fans for buying season tickets.

But this was a little different. The Lightning will have a tough sell trying to get fans to renew their tickets because well, the product this year, did not live up to the expectations, and well there is a recession going on ya know.

It will be an even tougher sell to get casual fans to buy season tickets.

But the owners are going to need all the fans they can get to help pay for the enormous salary of V4 that will kick in this summer.

Lightning 2 v. Senators 3 - Bolts Lose

Working while the game is on sucks. So no recap on the first period. It's a 1 - 1 tie anyways, so I don't care. Murphy and Shannon score, both on the powerplay according to the box score.

Second period starts with Ottawa on a power play. Petiot is out of the box. Petiot? Playing? I'm shocked. Nothing happens on the pp.

Fisher gets a nice rush, but Ramo makes an even better glove save. Stamkos and St. Louis fly down to the other end, Stamkos gets a shot but no goal.

TSN has stopped talking about hockey and instead is focusing on Carrie Underwood and Hillary Duff. No ducking today for the camera's? I can't believe those two date Ottawa Senators.

Schubert takes a stupid tripping penalty on Stamkos. We're one for one on the penalty. Alfredson get the puck and tried to get a shorthanded goal. Lecavalier takes the fake and dives to block the shot, Alfedson passes to Kelly, goal.

Adam Hall answers back 10 seconds later. Just like that it's a tie game. Take that Ottawa.

TSN is now showing a clip of Lecavalier in a race car. We're back on the PP. A lot of passing, Lecavalier has a chance, but no goal. Nothing much happens for the rest of the period.

End of Second

TSN shows some clip of some possible eye gouging from Arty on Ruutu. Ruutu never got the call on the ice because, well he's Ruutu (at least he's better than Matt Cooke). They'll definately review this one, possible suspension coming. Ruutu will be back for the third, so it should get interesting.

Third Period
Tampa gets a power play. 2 seconds later Malone takes us off of the power play. Weak.

Stamkos has a great shot on goal, Elliot gets a piece of it. The lightning go back on the powerplay. It sounds like Pierre Mcguire is a 13 year old girl the way he is gushing about Lecavalier.Thank god I don't have to hear him comment on more than 2 games a week. I can only take so much He's a MONSTER!

Spezza is celebrating like he got a goal. Was there a kicking motion? Review. C'mon Toronto!

NO GOAL!

Pressure in the Lightning zone, Ramo kicks out the puck on a huge chance by the Senators. St. Louis gets the puck with 3 seconds left, and shoots high! After the period ends you can see him shaking his head knowing he could have ended it there.

Overtime

Great 3 on 1 chance by St. Louis and Lecavalier, St. Louis can't find the net.

Some garbage goal by Mike Fisher ends the game. Then we get camera angle of Carrie Underwood hugging some girl. The box looks like its filled with girls who don't understand what icing is. Apparently this is her birthday present, a garbage goal from Fisher.

I would have preferred that if we were going to lose, to get no goals. Good effort from the team though. It's nice to see them play like this game actually meant something.

Tampa Bay 8 - Calgary 6

This is not a joke.

The Lightning lit up Calgary 8 to 6.

The Flamers tried to throw a party for Iginla, and ended up getting burned. I don't have a good recap of the game as I was not able to get a feed to watch this game. Instead I'm listening now to the Fan 960 trying to explain what exactly happened in Calgary tonight. They were stunned by this game, just stunned.

The first period from the highlights that I saw was pretty tame. Artyukhin starts off the scoring, then Iginla answers back on the PP.

The second period is where it got interesting. There was 7 goals in the 2nd period. Goals from St. Louis, Lecavalier, Stamkos and Prospal, with goals coming against from Conroy, Cammalleri and Lundmark. This was ridiculous. I cannot believe I missed this.

The third period was no different. Goals from Malone, Lecavalier and an empty netter from St. Louis. Iginla and Bertuzzi try to answer back in the 3rd, but it made no difference.

The fan960 is saying "I can't believe Iginla had 5 points tonight and we lost". Calgary also blew a 2 goal lead. They are chocking it up to an odd ball game.

Kipper was awful. He was pulled, and McElhinney, who has played what 5 games this year? But it made no difference. The flames are trying to forget about this game.

Other thoughts on tonights game:
-Mistake the starting goalie, McKenna played tonight.

-The defensive play was down again on this game. Back up to letting on 39 night shots on goal.

-3 PP goals, then again 3 goals let in on the PK

-Stamkos notched goal number 13

-Must have felt good for Tocchet to get a win against his former coach Iron Mike Keenan

Lightning Strikes Vancouver

So I have been a closet Lightning fan for a while. As my 'about me' says, I've never been to Tampa Bay. I just like the team. I don't know how is started, but it has just grown over the years.

Living in a city, with hockey as its major sport, on wait, only sport, you just grow up loving hockey. I'll admit that I cheer for the home team when I go to games since I am also a Canuck fan.

But once every 3 years or so, when the Bolts come to Vancouver to play, I get to bring out the my Tampa jersey. This is the day I switch from cheering from the home team and cheer for the bolts.

Last night was one of those nights. Now there are not a lot of Lightning fans in Vancouver, I ran into maybe 4 of them all night. But always nice to get a few "nice jersey's" when walking around gm place. For tonight, my friends disowned me, and the section which I have my seats turned on me.

With the Canucks this season, you never know which team is going to show up. They can play good teams, like detroit or calgary, 'show up' and beat them. But this season, they have played teams like the thrashers, the islanders and st. louis, and LOST. For those games, its like the team didn't even show up.

The problem is they get to a team that they think should be an easy win, such as Tampa last night, they just don't play hard. We've been force fed a lot of hockey mediocrity here. Last night was no different.

But the Bolts played well last night for a team that would gain nothing by winning, except maybe support from their fans. I was proud to see my team not being blown out 7-1 like they were the last time they were here.

It's nice to see Stamkos playing with St. Louis on a line together. Stamkos has really come a long way from the first half of the season. The local radio station was talking the night before the game about how he was only 2 goals away from having the same rookie record as when Lecavalier played his rookie season. It'll be exciting to see what he will do next year. Stamkos' goal was from some nice hard work around the net, and did it ever feel good to stand up and cheer for the goal.

And of course, you just can't beat having Lecavalier on your team. The skill.

Bernier's 'goal' off of the skate of Lecavalier was bad luck. I got razzed by my friends after that one. V4 got a goal, wrong net. The chance that he had at the end of the 3rd.... bouncing off of Salo's skate, well, when things aren't going your way, brittle Finnish defencemen seem to get inside of net's to thwart goals. Bad luck.

Other thoughts on the game:
-Ramo had a good night, I was expecting him to be lit up, a few solid saves

-The team's chemistry has something to be desired. There was a few passes that players over skated, or players passing to no one. I attribute this to the Len Barrie and the Koules-Aid that attempted to throw together a team just cause they could. I have a higher hope for next year now that they have a gm and not just owners putting together a fantasy team.

-Shane O'Brien gave an interview to The Province a couple days before the game, stating that he wanted to win "10 -0". After being traded to Vancouver earlier this year, he did not have good things to say about the ownership group. I'll side with him on this one. The ownership really didn't give him a chance. And if you trade away Dan Boyle, well, that was not a good move either. Where is Matt Carle these days? I was a little worried that O'Brien would do something retarded during this game, take a stupid fight against a team he was pissed about. But his play was controlled, not taking a single penalty, and even made a few good moves. It's nice to see the progress he's made over the year. One thing he hasn't learnt? Running your mouth to the press. I don't know how this will effect him being resigned (he's an RFA this summer), though I hope the Canucks will.

-There's quite a few former Canuck players on the Lightning. For the majority of them, I didn't think they were good players on the Canucks, so I can't really see them being good on the Lightning, ahem, Pettinger? Though, I did forget about how much of a giant that Malik was. A GIANT.

Although I didn't get the win I was hoping for, it was a good game to watch. I got to cheer for my team! And now I hope they beat the sh*t out of Calgary.