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Lightning's Shootout Woes Continue

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By TONY FABRIZIO

afabrizio@tampatrib.com

Published: February 20, 2009

TAMPA - Minus their top two goalies, and only hours removed from having their top two defensemen shut down for the year, the Lightning still managed to take a fight to the road-savvy New Jersey Devils on Thursday night.

It was enough to get them to a shootout, where the Devils prevailed 3-2.

"Until you're out of it ... and even then, you still play hard," Lightning interim coach Rick Tocchet said. "As a coaching staff, we have to be careful, because if we see guys pack it in, then they won't be in the lineup."

Tampa Bay completed a six-game homestand 2-3-1, falling to 2-6-2 in its last 10 games and 7-23 on the season in one-goal games.

Ryan Malone's two first-period goals gave the Lightning a 2-0 lead against a team that improved to 19-8-2 on the road. New Jersey rallied with power-play goals by Brian Rolston in the second period and Zach Parise in the third to send the game to overtime.

Parise, who entered the night second in the NHL in goals with 34, and Patrik Elias scored for the Devils in the shootout. Parise missed all of the second period with an illness.

"It was a little bit of a wake-up call for us," Rolston said. "They got two quick ones on us, and I don't think we were playing horrible in the first period, it was just one of these things they got up on us quick."

Vinny Lecavalier scored for the Lightning, but Vinny Prospal and Malone did not convert their shots against one-time Lightning Kevin Weekes.

Karri Ramo got the start in goal for Tampa Bay, which is without Mike Smith and has lost his backup, Olie Kolzig for the year. Ramo played well - blocking 38 of 40 shots in regulation - until the shootout.

"They've got really good players in the shootout," Ramo said. "I haven't been my best there. Their goalie was better than me in the shootout."

It didn't help that the Lightning again were without Nos. 1 and 2 defensemen Paul Ranger and Andrej Meszaros, whom the team said Thursday would undergo season-ending shoulder surgery March 3.

Tampa Bay also blew a two-goal lead Tuesday night against Chicago, falling 5-3 in a game in which Steven Stamkos got his first career hat trick.

"It's frustrating - especially at home, you don't like to give up leads," Lightning center Jeff Halpern said.

"It's one of those things where, when there's a push, sometimes we don't calm things down or seem to have a push back. We were missing a couple of horses for our team on defense, guys that were playing big minutes for us."

Reporter Tony Fabrizio can be reached at (813) 259-7994.

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