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Bolts Can't Convert Power Plays

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By CARTER GADDIS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 16, 2007

Updated: 12/16/2007 12:14 am

TAMPA - The one thing that seems to have improved the most about the Washington Capitals since Bruce Boudreau took over as interim coach 12 games ago is penalty killing.

The Lightning, to their detriment, discovered just how much the Caps have improved that facet of their game Saturday in a 3-2 loss at the St. Pete Times Forum.

Washington killed off all four Tampa Bay power plays, including one in the third period that gave the Lightning a chance to tie. That made 18 consecutive penalty kills for the Caps, who have been successful on 47 of 51 since Boudreau replaced Glen Hanlon behind the bench Nov. 22.

"Our penalty killing has been pretty good and you can't look past ... I mean, all four of them having been doing a great job but, left wing Quintin Laing blocking shot after shot and making the smart play," Boudreau said. "I think that's a real key."

Not content to passively allow the Lightning to enter the zone and set up the power play, Washington routinely started its penalty kills by using a variation of the usual neutral-zone defense they use during even-strength situations.

At times, even on the power play, it was a struggle for Tampa Bay merely to gain the center line, much less maneuver into Washington's zone.

"They defended well," Lightning coach John Tortorella said. "They stack the neutral zone. They play a system of just defending and looking for transition, looking for a power-play goal to help them win. We didn't get enough offense generated to really get our momentum going."

The Lightning were no slouches killing penalties, either, going 5-for-6.

Twice, Tampa Bay averted potential short-handed trouble by killing 1:13 of a Washington 5-on-3 power play in the first period and by killing four minutes of penalty time that came when defenseman Filip Kuba was called in the second period for high-sticking Alex Ovechkin in the face.

Much of the Lightning's success on the penalties they did kill was due to goalie Johan Holmqvist, who made four saves - none easy - during Kuba's double-minor and a tough stop on an Alex Semin slap shot during the first-period 5-on-3.

But it was the one power-play goal of the game - off the stick of defenseman Brian Pothier from a nice feed from behind the net by Mike Pettinger with 14:53 to play - that proved Tampa Bay's undoing.

And it came after Lightning defenseman Shane O'Brien was called for high-sticking Washington's Brooks Laich in the third period of a tie game.

"It didn't even look like there was a mark on Laich," said O'Brien, who was battling Laich in the corner when the penalty was called. "But I've got to do a better job. I was just trying to lift his stick. But, I mean, late in the third like that, we know the rules. I know if my stick gets above his waist, I run the risk of getting a penalty."

Tortorella readily agreed with O'Brien's assessment of the game's pivotal play.

"You can't take a penalty," Tortorella said. "Obie's got to be responsible with that stick. He's had a problem with that all year long. It's a big part of the game."

Another big part of the game for the Lightning, usually, is generating lots of scoring chances. Things started well in that respect, with Paul Ranger scoring his sixth goal 4 1/2 minutes in to give the Lightning an early lead.

But Tampa Bay was held to 14 shots on goal in the final two periods, which made the one power-play goal Washington scored loom even larger.

"We kill the other ones off," Tortorella said, "but we don't kill it when we need to kill it."

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

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