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4th Line Making Positive Impact

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By CARTER GADDIS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 23, 2008

TAMPA - Lately, Lightning coach John Tortorella's desire for production up and down the lineup has been fulfilled. It happened again Tuesday in a 4-3 victory against Edmonton.

Vinny Lecavalier, Marty St. Louis and Brad Richards all scored, but so did fourth-liner Craig MacDonald, his first NHL goal since Feb. 14 last season for Chicago.

It wasn't so much that MacDonald scored, though, as it was the way the goal came about. Linemate Nick Tarnasky created a turnover at the Oilers' blue line, then quickly found MacDonald for a slap shot past Edmonton G Dwayne Roloson that made it 2-0, Lightning.

It was the kind of effort Tarnasky, MacDonald and fellow fourth-liner Andreas Karlsson - active for the first time in six games - gave Tampa Bay most of the night.

"They gave us a little bit of jam as far as holding onto the puck in the end zone and just creating some offensive zone pressure," Tortorella said. "It's going to have to get better and better as we go through here during crunch time, just to take some pressure off of our top line."

During the Lightning's 4-1 stretch over the past five, they've gotten a two-goal game from Tarnasky, a three-point game by RW Andre Roy, a goal from Kyle Wanvig, a goal and two assists from Chris Gratton and the same from MacDonald.

St. Louis, Richards and Lecavalier have combined for 14 points during the same five-game span.

"You've got to get it through your whole team," MacDonald said. "Those guys are obviously superstars. They bring it most nights. But some nights, they're just not going to be able to put it in the net for us. So, some other guys have to step up. I think that's what we've been doing lately. It's come from different guys on the bottom two lines, and that's why we've been winning lately."

INTERESTED OBSERVERS: With the Feb. 26 trade deadline a little more than a month away, it's not unusual to see high-level executives from other teams passing through the press box at the St. Pete Times Forum.

Tuesday, Dallas co-GM Brett Hull and director of player personnel Dave Taylor were in attendance, as was Chicago scout and former Lightning player Marc Bergevin. While it's unclear whether Hull and Taylor were scouting the Lightning or Oilers, Bergevin was believed to be focusing squarely on Tampa Bay.

NUTS AND BOLTS: Lecavalier became the first Lightning player with five 30-goal seasons, all consecutive. St. Louis (who scored his 19th Tuesday) can join him if he reaches 30 this season. ... Lecavalier also had an assist, giving him 25 multi-point games this season. It was his first multi-point game since Jan. 5. ... Lightning G Johan Holmqvist, who came into the game with consecutive shutouts, missed the opportunity to join Vancouver's Roberto Luongo as the only goalies this season with three shutouts in a row. ... Richards' goal in the first period was his first goal at home since Dec. 13, a span of seven games. ... Tampa Bay improved to 1-4-0 against the Western Conference. ... Lecavalier's goal came on the power play, just the team's second power-play goal at home in 25 chances since Dec. 15. ... Wanvig was a healthy scratch for the first time since he was recalled from Norfolk of the AHL on Jan. 5.

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