TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Bolts' Rally For Naught; Panthers Win In Shootout

Tribune photo by CHRIS URSO

Lightning interim coach Rick Tocchet watches the clock during the first period.

ADVERTISEMENT

By ERIK ERLENDSSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 19, 2008

TAMPA - The Lightning seem so close they can taste it. Yet, they are still so far away, it might wind up like a charred steak by the time things are done.

Tampa Bay's winless streak reached five games following Tuesday's 4-3 shootout loss to the Florida Panthers at the Forum, the team's second such winless string this season.

Not even firing a franchise-record 52 shots on goal - nine by rookie Steven Stamkos - and erasing a three-goal deficit was enough to lift the Lightning out of the doldrums as Florida goaltender Tomas Vokoun stopped 49 shots in addition to all three he saw in the shootout.

"We found a way to come back and get a point, but we're disappointed with the outcome," said Lightning goaltender Mike Smith, who stopped 33 shots but allowed Nathan Horton's shootout attempt, which turned out to be the difference.

Tampa Bay fell to 2-6 in overtime this season, including 1-4 in shootouts.

The Panthers scored a pair of power-play goals to help build a 3-0 led 7:48 into the second period on Bryan McCabe's second goal of the game. But Radim Vrbata's first goal of the season with 5:18 left in the second helped spark the rally into the third. Goals by Evgeny Artyukhin - off a nice feed from Vinny Lecavalier behind the net after he bounced a pass to himself off the back of the net - and defenseman Steve Eminger, with 2:51 left in regulation, helped earn Tampa Bay a point.

"I thought we dominated them - we outshot them, we outplayed them in their end," Stamkos said. "It's just one of those nights where when you're not winning, those games seem to slip by and we need to change that. I thought tonight was our best game in awhile. We just have to build off that."

Lightning interim head coach Rick Tocchet said he liked the energy the team showed and saw enough positives that he feels the team might be on the verge of turning the corner.

"The Carolina game a shootout loss Sunday and this game, I can see it coming," he said.

Reporter Erik Erlendsson can be reached at (813) 259-7835.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT