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Bochenski Shines In Opening Victory

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By ERIK ERLENDSSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 21, 2008

PITTSBURGH - Brandon Bochenski scored twice, including the tying goal with 1:19 left in the game to force overtime, and he added an assist in the Lightning's preseason-opening 5-4 shootout victory.

Jussi Jokinen and Steven Stamkos each converted penalty shot attempts as Tampa Bay won the shootout 2-0.

Jordan Staal scored for Pittsburgh 51 seconds into the game, and it looked like the Penguins' star-studded lineup was going to overpower Tampa Bay's younger team.

But the Lightning started to control the game in the second half of the first period, and they broke things open with three goals in the second period.

D Janne Niskala scored on a wrist shot while cutting down from the right point as a power play expired at 3:50 of the second. C Wyatt Smith found himself alone with a loose puck in the Pittsburgh zone and banked a shot off the skate of Marc-Andre Fleury at 7:06. Bochenski put Tampa Bay up by two when he knocked in a feed from LW Radek Smolenak after Jokinen fought off two Pittsburgh defenders along the wall.

MAN IN THE MIDDLE: After arriving from Dallas last season, Jokinen played exclusively at left wing on the top line. For Saturday's preseason opener, he shifted to center on the second line, flanked by Bochenski and Smolenak.

Lightning coach Barry Melrose said he wants to see Jokinen touch the puck more.

"I haven't seen that offensive flair from him yet," Melrose said. "He's a great puck-handler, he's smart defensively so he should be an excellent centerman."

Jokinen said he actually prefers to play in the middle, because he feels he is moving his feet more and has more opportunity to touch the puck.

Of course, there could also be an ulterior motive to the move. Jokinen has been mentioned as a likely candidate to be moved because the Lightning have 17 forwards in training camp on one-way contracts. It is no secret around the league that the team is trying to shed payroll before the season begins, and Jokinen's $1.875 million salary is a likely target, along with RW Michel Ouellet's $1.3 million for this season.

CUTS LOOMING: The first round of cutdowns is expected to come after practice today. The Lightning have 43 players in camp, not including injured C Jeff Halpern, and would like to be down to about 25 before the team departs Wednesday for New York for a Thursday game against the Rangers.

Training camp for Tampa Bay's American Hockey League affiliate Norfolk is scheduled to open Monday.

ICEFEST: The team will hold IceFest during today's practice sessions at the St. Pete Times Forum. Doors open at 10 a.m., with Team Black scheduled to practice from 11 a.m to noon and then sign autographs on the concourse from 12:45 to 1:45 p.m. Team White is scheduled to practice from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. before signing autographs from 2 to 3.

NUTS AND BOLTS: LW Ryan Craig, RW Jason Ward and D Jamie Heward were alternate captains. ... Pittsburgh D Sergei Gonchar left the game in the first period after a hit by David Koci, and he did not return.

Erik Erlendsson

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