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Lightning Blanked In Boyle's Return

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By ERIK ERLENDSSON

eerlendsson@tampatrib.com

Published: October 26, 2008

TAMPA - Former Lightning defenseman Dan Boyle said he can now turn the page after his return visit to the building in which he hoisted the Stanley Cup.

After a 3-0 loss to Boyle and the San Jose Sharks, however, the Lightning are still wondering when their new chapter can begin.

Tampa Bay's offense looked anemic in firing a measly 22 shots on San Jose goaltender Brian Boucher, who barely broke a sweat in notching his second shutout in as many starts this season.

The Lightning dropped to 1-3-3 on the season while facing a Sharks team playing on back-to-back nights and its third game in four nights following a cross-country trip from California.

And if not for the 42 saves from goaltender Mike Smith, the result would have been as lopsided as the effort put forth by both teams.

"It was an embarrassing effort by our team, very embarrassing," Lightning coach Barry Melrose said.

For a team that stockpiled forwards during the summer, the offense has been downright anemic after being shut out for the second time in a week. Through the opening seven games of the season, Tampa Bay has a league-low 11 goals to show for the millions new owners Oren Koules and Len Barrie shelled out in free agency.

In recent days, patience has been preached as so many new faces try to come together. But at some point, talking about allowing time to jell has to give way to making it happen.

"I think we're at that point now," center Chris Gratton said. "We can talk all we want, but it's about going on the ice and doing it. We had a good home stand here and had a good chance to get our fans into it and get everyone going and for whatever reason it just hasn't happened.

"But we have to turn this around as quick as we can."

After coming out of the first period scoreless, the second-period woes in the early going struck again as San Jose received goals from Marcel Goc and Ryan Clowe. With the two goals allowed, Tampa Bay has now been outscored 7-2 and outshot 91-55.

Ryan Malone did his best to wake up the team and the lifeless crowd on a shift in the second period as he and Adam Hall rattled the boards in the San Jose end, but the energy didn't sustain itself.

The listless effort returned and Tampa Bay wilted after Devin Setoguchi curled out of the corner and fired a wrist shot to make it 3-0 with 3:32 left in the game.

"There weren't very many good players tonight," Melrose said.

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

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