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Familiar Finish For New-Look Bolts

Tribune photo by JASON BEHNKEN

Carolina's Eric Staal fires the game-winner past Lightning goalie Mike Smith during overtime Saturday night during the Bolts' home opener at the Forum.

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By ERIK ERLENDSSON

eerlendsson@tampatrib.com

Published: October 12, 2008

Updated: 10/12/2008 02:56 am

TAMPA - The new-look Lightning showed up Saturday masqueraded as the team from last year.

Despite a lineup that featured 15 players not on last year's opening-night lineup, Tampa Bay blew a three-goal lead before falling 4-3 in overtime to division rival Carolina.

Eric Staal scored his second goal of the game with 24 seconds left in the extra period to rally the Hurricanes, who also overcame a deficit Friday at home against Florida.

Tampa Bay has started the season 0-2-1 and has allowed shot totals of 41, 39 and 46.

"Tough loss," said goaltender Mike Smith, who stopped 42 shots. "It's frustrating, you're up 3-0 and we think we have the world by the finger and let up."

First-period goals by Mark Recchi and Janne Niskala - his first career NHL goal - came as a result of a stronger attack than the team showed in its opening two games in Prague, Czech Republic, last weekend. When captain Vinny Lecavalier rocketed a one-timer from the right circle on a two-man advantage at 9:01 of the second period, the Lightning looked ready for take off.

Only a slew of penalties in the second half of the period grounded Tampa Bay's chances, even after killing off a 62-second two-man advantage for Carolina that ended with 35 seconds left in the second. But 13 seconds later, Matt Carle was whistled for holding and Rod Brind'Amour made the Lightning pay for the mistake when he scored with 8.7 seconds remaining in the period.

At one point, the Lightning held an 11-3 shot advantage. After two periods, it was 25-21 in favor of Tampa Bay. By the time the third period ended, Carolina posted a 41-27 advantage as it erased the 3-0 deficit to tie the game on Staal's goal at 9:56 of the third on a shot that deflected through the legs of Smith, who turned around and snapped his stick over the top of the crossbar in frustration.

The Hurricanes ended with a 46-29 shot advantage.

"Bottom line is when the game's on the line you've got to want to be on the ice and you've got to want to make plays," Lightning coach Barry Melrose said. "You've got to come back and get the puck, you've got to move things and we did for two periods that we didn't do in the third."

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

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