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Bolts' Streak Looking Very Familiar

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By ERIK ERLENDSSON, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 8, 2007

TAMPA - Dr. Seuss might have a field day when it comes to describing the state of parity in the NHL.

Topsy-turvy, crazy-curvy, upside-down, downside-up, no team knows which route leads straight to the Cup.

Sure, Tampa Bay has been streaky. Already this season the Lightning have had three winning streaks of three or more games - including their current three-game winning streak heading into tonight's game against the Islanders - and two six-game winless stretches.

But many other teams have experienced the same type of roller-coaster ride. And it doesn't seem to matter if the teams are at the top of the standings or the bottom.

"I don't know what it is, but it's more so this year than I've seen before as far as streaks, especially the losing streaks," Lightning coach John Tortorella said. "I don't have an answer for it because I'm trying to figure out an answer for us, let alone all the other teams."

Of the 30 teams, only Carolina, Philadelphia and Vancouver have avoided a stretch of three or more games without a victory. And only Calgary has failed to record at least a three-game winning streak. Every other team - including conference leaders Detroit and Ottawa, along with cellar dwellers Washington, Los Angeles and Phoenix - has felt the sting of a losing streak and the elation of a winning streak.

"It's been a weird year like that," Lightning center Chris Gratton said. "Nobody's been able to really grab hold of that top spot. Teams are kind of flip-flopping every night and I think it's going to be a battle right down to the end."

Just past the one-third mark of the season, only Detroit was able to create any kind of gap, with a nine-point lead over St. Louis in the Central Division entering Friday's action; every other division leader was no more than five points ahead. In the Western Conference, only six points separated the eighth-seeded team from the 15th (last). And in the East, No. 14 Florida was only five points out of a playoff spot.

In its past two games, Tampa Bay went from four points out of the East cellar to within five points of the division lead and two points out of a playoff position.

Maintaining some sense of consistency is a constant challenge. But is there anything to be done to combat inconsistencies and avoid the nauseating roller-coaster ride?

"I'm not sure there's anything," Calgary right wing Jarome Iginla said, "but if there is, I would say specialty teams. I would think that specialty teams you have to make as consistent as you can. ... So many games are one-goal games, and momentum is so important. Things usually can go either way. We look at our record, and special teams are a huge part of it."

"What you don't want to do is what we have done, and that's why we are at .500, and that's lose six in a row twice," Lightning center Brad Richards said. "If you can try to win three or four games of every five you are playing, you can build things up that way and have that type of streak instead of win six and lose six."

And avoid all the up-down and in-out that make a coach want to shout.

Reporter Carter Gaddis contributed to this report. Reporter Erik Erlendsson can be reached at (813) 259-7835 or eerlendsson@

tampatrib.com.

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