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Defense Pitching In On Offense

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 17, 2007

TAMPA - It took Lightning defensemen 36 games last season to reach double figures in goals scored. It took them half as long, 18 games, to reach 10 goals collectively this season.

And that's with 20-goal scorer Dan Boyle (left wrist surgery) out for all but four games.

What's happened, with Boyle out of the picture, is that Coach John Tortorella's blue liners have begun to become more conscious of trying to help scoring opportunities when they're available.

"If you're asking your forwards to play on the other side of the puck defensively," Tortorella said Friday, "we ask our defensemen to play on the other side of the puck, offensively. We feel like we have the people. It's just a matter of willingness to get up the ice and make it happen."

Twice in the past two games, D Paul Ranger has been more than willing to make it happen. He scored his second goal in two games, his fourth of the season, Friday against the Capitals.

Both times, Ranger joined a rush to create an odd-man advantage for the Lightning and capitalized receiving the puck in a relatively wide open patch of ice.

He took a chance in joining the rush with the Lightning forwards, but that's a risk Tortorella is willing to take.

"We're always trying to show four-man fronts, and it's up the D to stay in it or fall out of it," Tortorella said. "We want to create offense, and a big part of that offense these days is that 'D' joining in and trying to create it."

That's always been the case with Tortorella's teams, but it's of particular importance this year with Boyle out indefinitely. Last year, it took the Lightning 40 games to get a goal from a defenseman other than Boyle or Filip Kuba (it came off the stick of Doug Janik on Jan. 2).

Ranger and Shane O'Brien are tied for the team lead among defensemen with four goals.

"We're going to be responsible and make sure we play our position, but if it's there, we'll take the chance," Ranger said.

YERRID'S MESSAGE: Tampa attorney Steve Yerrid's foundation provided tickets Friday for more than 4,000 people as part of the seventh annual Tampa Bay Fights Cancer Night at the St. Pete Times Forum.

The beneficiaries came from eight different organizations that focus on cancer research, treatment or coping. Yerrid said the goal each year was to increase awareness and to provide a fun time for cancer victims.

"I've been blessed beyond anything I've ever dreamed can happen in my lifetime," said Yerrid. "And the best blessing of all was realizing to give back, to share with others, is the most precious asset I have. And I am so humbled and privileged to do that, to be in a position to do that. I'm the one that's thankful."

NUTS AND BOLTS: With a goal and two assists Friday, Lightning C Vinny Lecavalier became the first player since Mario Lemieux in 2002 to put together a multi-point scoring streak of seven games. Lightning RW Marty St. Louis (goal, two assists) extended his scoring streak to seven games. ... LW Vinny Prospal had his scoring streak ended at six games.

Carter Gaddis

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