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Lightning Just Miss Perfection

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 9, 2007

TAMPA - The Lightning might not have had a perfect four-game homestand, but they came awfully close.

When it started on Dec. 1 against Boston, Tampa Bay was reeling from its second six-game winless streak of the season. Even after losing to the Islanders on Saturday, 3-2 in overtime, that winless streak is fast fading into memory (albeit a bad memory).

By overcoming a late, one-goal deficit to force OT Saturday, the Lightning assured themselves of accruing at least seven out of eight possible points against the Bruins, Senators, Hurricanes and Islanders.

If one of the league's best home teams (11-3-2) was going to use a favorable December schedule as a springboard for a successful second half, it had to start this week; 10 of their 14 games this month are at the St. Pete Times Forum, and four of them are in the books.

During those four games, the Lightning outscored their opponents 12-8, went 5-for-20 (25 percent) on the power play and went 19-for-22 (86.4 percent) on the penalty kill. They didn't trail until New York's Bill Guerin scored eight minutes into Saturday's game.

"We didn't get it all, but we played some good hockey," Brad Richards said. "And we got back to the way we want to play hockey. Now, we've got to do it on the road."

That, of course, is another matter entirely. Tampa Bay is last in the NHL in points accrued on the road, with five in 13 games (2-10-1). No other team has fewer than nine points on the road.

MARTY FOR MARTY?: TSN in Canada reported Friday that a potential trade sending Lightning RW Marty St. Louis to the Dallas Stars for G Marty Turco was being considered, but there seems to be nothing to the rumor.

In keeping with his policy regarding trade rumors, Lightning GM Jay Feaster did not comment.

FEDOTENKO SITS: Former Lightning and current Islanders RW Ruslan Fedotenko was scratched with a shoulder injury in his return to the arena where he scored both Lightning goals in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final victory against the Flames in 2004.

The injury didn't affect his sense of humor, though. As he walked through the hallway before the morning skate, he took two steps toward the Lightning locker room ("Oops," he said) before moving on to New York's room.

NUTS AND BOLTS: Lightning D Brad Lukowich took a hard hit from New York's Josef Vasicek and left the bench with six minutes left in regulation. Lukowich returned with 1:07 left and delivered a big hit to C Andy Hilbert before taking a slap shot that forced Islanders G Rick DiPietro to make a save at the horn. ... Tampa Bay improved to 0-10-1 when trailing after two periods. ... Guerin's goal was his first since he scored against Tampa Bay on Nov. 1 in New York, a span of 16 games. ... Lightning RW Marty St. Louis ended a four-game points streak. It was the ninth time in 29 games St. Louis didn't register a point. ... Richards recorded his third two-goal game of the season, the 12th of his career. With 10 goals in 29 games, he's on pace for a career high 28 (he scored 26 in 2003-04). ... Richards also had a season-high seven shots on goal. ... Lightning G Johan Holmqvist compiled a .930 save percentage (107 saves on 115 shots) during the four-game home stand.

Carter Gaddis

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