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Bolts' Smith Perplexed By Shootout Struggles

Despite past success, goalie is 1-5 in them this season.

The Associated Press

The Rangers' Markus Naslund fires the puck past Tampa Bay goaltender Mike Smith for a goal in the second period Wednesday night.

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By ERIK ERLENDSSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 27, 2008

ST. PAUL, Minn. - Mike Smith wheeled around in his crease on Wednesday, slung his stick over his shoulder and slammed it on top of the crossbar shortly after the Rangers' Nikolai Zherdev found the back of the net that Smith was trying to protect.

The moment of frustration seems all to commonplace in the early part of the season, coming on the heels of another shootout loss. Once the best shootout team in the league — 18-7 entering the season — the Lightning are 1-5 this year in the skills competition to determine a victor. That includes a setback on Oct. 18 against Minnesota, today's opponent. Smith, who entered this season 3-0, stopping all nine shots in shootout attempts, has been in net for all six shootout decisions. He has stopped just nine of the 20 shots he has faced.

Smith is perplexed by how things have developed in the shootouts this season.

"I don't know if it's confidence in the shootout that I don't have right now or what it is, but I know I'm good at them," Smith said. "I've been good in the past, it just seems like we're going through a stretch right now where we're not scoring and I'm not stopping the puck."

In watching some tape of the 20 shootout shots he has faced this season, Smith said he knows he needs less movement so he can keep better balance as he tries to stay with the shooter. "The main thing is to stay patient," Smith said.

But it hasn't been just Smith's trouble stopping shots. Tampa Bay's skilled forwards have done a poor job of converting their chances, as well, going 4-for-21 as a team. Jussi Jokinen, who started his career 9-for-9 on shootout attempts, is 1-for-6 this season, while captain Vinny Lecavalier is 1-for-5. The only others to convert in the shootout are Marty St. Louis (1-for-2) and Evgeny Artyukhin (1-for-1).

"I'm part of this, I know I have to be better," Jokinen said.

The lack of success has interim coach Rick Tocchet — who has already been involved in three shootouts in his first five games behind the Lightning bench — thinking about all kinds of different variables to try to shake the things up, including altering his selections.

"It's alarming to be 1-5 in shootouts," Tocchet said. "But all jobs [in the shootout] are open now."

TODAY'S GAME

WHO: Lightning at Minnesota Wild

WHEN: 2 p.m.

TV/RADIO: Sun Sports; 620 AM

WHO'S HURT: Lightning — LW David Koci (broken hand), LW Matt Pettinger (knee), C Chris Gratton (lower body), LW Gary Roberts (upper body), out; D Marek Malik (lower body), questionable; D Lukas Krajicek (knee), day-to-day. Wild – D Kurtis Foster (leg), RW Marian Gaborik (lower body), out.

THE SKINNY: The two teams battled to a scoreless tie on Oct. 18 in Tampa, with Minnesota picking up the victory in a shootout. … The Lightning are 1-3 all-time at Xcel Energy Center. … G Mike Smith has allowed six goals in five career appearances against the Wild. … LW Ryan Malone has two goals and five points in the past three games. … C Vinny Lecavalier three goals and three assists during a five-game scoring streak. … Tampa Bay has been involved in a league-high 14 one-goal games this season, with a record of 4-3-7 in those games. … The Wild are 6-4-1 at home; The Lightning are 3-4-2 on the road. … Minnesota has allowed a league-low 2.15 goals per game and has a league-best 90.9 penalty killing percentage.

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

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