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Bolts Trying To Solve Road Woes

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By CARTER GADDIS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 10, 2007

Updated: 12/09/2007 11:34 pm

TAMPA - One team from Tampa routinely dominates. It approaches nearly every shift as if it were the final seconds of a tied playoff game. It hits, it scores timely goals, it gets All-Star caliber goaltending.

The other team from Tampa routinely is dominated. It lacks vigor from shift to shift. Its mistakes always seem to lead to goals, it can't seem to hold a lead in those rare moments when it actually has one and has yet to find a dependable goalie.

Both teams are, of course, the Tampa Bay Lightning, who so far have been the NHL's most schizophrenic team in a season notable for its league-wide dearth of consistency.

At home, the good Lightning (11-3-2) have played like Stanley Cup contenders. On the road, the bad Lightning (2-10-1) have conjured memories of the bad old days before Tampa Bay became a perennial playoff contender in 2003.

John Tortorella, who coaches both teams, remains at a loss to explain why the Lightning - who play today at Toronto and Tuesday at Montreal after going 3-0-1 on a typically successful homestand - have compiled a league-worst five points out of a possible 26 in 13 road games.

"People ask me that a lot," he said. "I wish I had an answer."

The players can't explain it, either.

"We have good fans, good atmosphere," defenseman Shane O'Brien said. "Maybe it's the good pre-game meal we eat or something, I don't know. We've got to work to get that on the road, but it's fun to play at home."

One thing Tortorella knows is his team's struggle on the road through the first one-third of the season is a departure from last year, when the Lightning went 22-15-4 away from the St. Pete Times Forum. That recent success has Tortorella convinced that his team can find a way to reverse its poor fortune on the road.

To do that, though, they'll have to improve upon some glaringly disparate statistics.

Naturally, it starts with goaltending.

At home, goalie Johan Holmqvist is 11-3-2 with a 2.11 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage. On the road, he is 2-6-1 with a 3.81 goals-against average and an .866 save percentage.

And even though the Big Three of Vinny Lecavalier, Marty St. Louis and Brad Richards haven't been bad on the road, their numbers at home are markedly better.

In 16 home games, they have combined to compile 73 points (28 goals). On the road, they have 36 points (11 goals) combined.

It is a departure, in particular, for Lecavalier and St. Louis, who combined for 117 points (50 goals) in 41 road games last year.

There is, Tortorella said, a way to improve all of the above statistics. And it has to do with the opening minutes of the game.

"You just have to really be conscious about your starts," he said. "And I think a huge point for all teams is not just to test the waters on the road, but to try to dictate. Because any team that goes at home, they come out with a little bit more jam. You're at home, and you have your crowd. We just can't test the waters."

Starting fast - and capitalizing on the potential early momentum by scoring a goal or two - does several things, all conducive to winning.

A fast generally start puts the home team on its heels. As the game progresses, that can limit the opponent's number of scoring opportunities and increase the number of scoring chances for your team.

On the other hand, failing to steal the natural early momentum from a home team can prove costly.

"We played in Chicago on Nov. 28, that's all we talked about in our pregame meeting in Chicago, is just keep it simple and just having a good start," Tortorella said. "First shift of the game we turn one over, bang, it's in our net."

The Lightning never threatened in that 5-1 loss to the Blackhawks.

What Tortorella wants today in Toronto is for the team that left Tampa on Sunday - the one that accrued seven of a possible eight points in four home games to start December - to find its way onto the ice at the Air Canada Centre.

And when it gets there, Tortorella will issue the same marching orders he has all year.

At home or on the road.

"We need to inflict," Tortorella said. "I like using that word, instead of being inflicted upon. So, we're going to have to get that straightened out."

Reporter Carter Gaddis can be reached at (813) 259-8291 or igaddis@tampatrib.com.

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