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Kubina: Cup Memories Fading Fast

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By IRA KAUFMAN

ikaufman@tampatrib.com

Published: February 13, 2009

TAMPA - Pavel Kubina looks around the rink and all he sees are ghosts.

For Toronto's 31-year-old defenseman, those Stanley Cup memories are fading fast. Kubina played a big role in the Lightning's championship run two years before signing a lucrative contract with the Maple Leafs in the summer of 2006.

"It's always special to come here, but I don't know many guys on the Lightning anymore," Kubina said Thursday. "I know Vinny Lecavalier and Marty St. Louis, and that's about it. It's been a long time since the Cup, almost five years. They're great memories, but you move on."

The Maple Leafs and Lightning are both struggling this season, but Toronto's home games are always sold out and the sports media capital of Canada is obsessed with the beloved Leafs, who haven't won a Stanley Cup since 1967.

"It's a tough market in Tampa - you have to win here or people won't come to the games," Kubina said. "There's a lot of pressure playing in Toronto, but it's a great hockey city. It's very tough to get tickets and the fans there are tough - they let you know when you had a bad game."

INSTANT RESULTS: Rick Tocchet was tired of seeing the Lightning squander two-man advantages.

With Tampa Bay struggling to capitalize on 5-on-3 situations, the Lightning coach threatened a shakeup.

"I don't think the same guys will be out there, put it that way," Tocchet said before Thursday's home matchup against the Maple Leafs. "We're 2-for-20 or 2-for-25 ... it's alarming. We've got to start getting production."

But when the Lightning enjoyed a 5-on-3 advantage late in the opening period, Tocchet turned to the usual crew - Mark Recchi and Cory Murphy manning the points, with Lecavalier, St. Louis and Ryan Malone up front.

It took only 15 seconds for Recchi to score as he one-timed Lecavalier's feed and beat Vesa Toskala from between the circles.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "We didn't expect to be where we are right now, but it is what it is. It's hard sometimes to sit back and realize where we are. I've been in this dressing room when there was champagne everywhere. It seems like a long time ago." - St. Louis

Ira Kaufman

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