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Magical McKenna Gives Bolts Victory

The Associated Press

Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Mike McKenna makes a glove save on a shot by New York Islanders' Mike Comrie.

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By ERIK ERLENDSSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 8, 2009

TAMPA - The mob of players greeted Mike McKenna just above the top of the goaltenders' crease when the final horn blared on his first career victory Saturday night.

But it was after all the congratulatory helmet butts, head taps and stick slaps on McKenna's pads that reality set in. As he made his way to the bench, the memory of his grandfather Bill, a pioneer of St. Louis hockey, rushed to his mind. The thought of his father Terry, who has been involved in St. Louis-area hockey since he was a kid, flashed to him like a vision.

Then as McKenna made his way to the bench, the emotion of pitching a 1-0 shutout against the New York Islanders in his second career NHL start was almost too much to handle as he shared an embrace with his father, who made his way down from the fifth level to be there when his son came off the ice.

As he discussed his thoughts coming off the ice following a 28-save performance, McKenna had to collect his emotions again.

"My grandfather, my father, all my coaches, all of it ... I never thought this was possible a week ago. It's kind of hard to control, honestly; there's a lot that goes into it," McKenna said. "It's kind of surreal, but I guess I better get used to it because we got some more hockey from here on out."

A week ago, McKenna came off the ice in Hershey following a 4-2 loss with Norfolk, stopping 31 of 35 shots he faced starting his third game in as many nights. A day later the 25-year-old native of St. Louis was on a plane to Tampa after signing his first NHL contract.

By Tuesday he saw his first NHL action, stopping all 11 shots in relief against the Islanders in New York. Wednesday he started his first career game, carrying a shutout into the third period before suffering a 4-3 overtime loss in Pittsburgh.

Saturday, for one night, he was reveling in a dream that has come true, showing he can play at the top level of hockey, having stopped 70 of the first 74 shots he has faced and pitching shutouts in five of the six full periods he has played.

"I know how small the pyramid is at the top and how rare what happened tonight is and I can really appreciate it," Terry McKenna said.

Mike McKenna came up with the big save at the key time in the game, as well, ensuring that he became the fastest goaltender in franchise history to post a shutout.

After Gary Roberts deflected Steve Eminger's point shot with 6:24 left in the game to break a scoreless tie, the Lightning had a chance to ice the game with a two-man advantage for 1:40. But just after the first penalty expired, Kyle Okposo came on a partial short-handed breakaway. McKenna swept the puck aside with his blocker and then stopped Okposo's rebound chance to preserve the victory and, more importantly, the shutout.

"I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw him coming out of the box," McKenna said. "But that's what you dream of as a kid, is making that save."

It's a dream he is turning into reality, taking advantage of the opportunity presented him in the absence of No. 1 goaltender Mike Smith.

"How can you not root for a kid like that?" Lightning interim coach Rick Tocchet said. "He's a pretty unflappable kid. Instead of going out there, and not so much hide as seize the moment, and this is his lifetime dream to play in the NHL and he's got a chance, he's looking to seize the moment."

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

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