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Ramo Faces Barrage As Lightning Fall, 5-3

The Associated Press

Lightning defenseman David Koci fights with Oilers left wing Steve MacIntyre in the first period.

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By PAUL OWEN

Tribune correspondent

Published: February 25, 2009

Updated: 02/25/2009 02:07 am

EDMONTON, Alberta - Once again, Karri Ramo was peppered with shots in the Lightning net.

Once again, Tampa Bay was unable to overcome it.

For the fifth consecutive game, the Lightning gave up at least 40 shots. They were outshot by the Edmonton Oilers 45-29 in a 5-3 loss Tuesday night at Rexall Place, dropping them to 1-3-1 in that span.

Cory Murphy scored his second and third goals of the season for Tampa Bay, but the Lightning couldn't overcome a pair of goals from Sheldon Souray.

"I had a lot of saves but I can't be happy with my performance. This was a game we had a chance to win and I blew it at the start," Ramo said.

The Oilers opened the scoring 2:20 into the game when Erik Cole intercepted a pass at his blue line, blew past Marek Malik and ripped a snap shot over Ramo's blocker and into the top right corner.

Edmonton struck again with 14:20 left in the first when Jason Strudwick stopped the puck at the blue line and beat Ramo low to the left side.

The Bolts struck with the man advantage 2:30 into the second period, cutting the deficit in half. Oilers netminder Dwayne Roloson made a diving save on a cross-ice pass to Marty St. Louis, but his momentum took him out of the net, and St. Louis grabbed the rebound, fed Murphy at the point, and he buried it into the open net.

Tampa Bay tied it at 2 with 7:37 left in the second. Ryan Malone stripped Ales Hemsky of the puck and sent Steven Stamkos in alone on Roloson. Stamkos ripped a snap shot over Roloson's glove hand for his 11th goal.

Just 52 seconds later, the home side retook the lead, as Andrew Cogliano won a draw in the Tampa Bay zone to Souray, who rifled a slap shot from the point, through a screen from two Oilers and past Ramo.

Edmonton widened the gap to two goals 2:20 into the third period when Cogliano pulled a loose puck out from under Ramo and flicked it into the back of the net.

Murphy brought the Lightning back within one with his second of the night with 6:14 left in the game, pouncing on a loose puck at the side of the net and roofing a backhander past Roloson.

It was as close as the Lightning would get, however, as Souray would ice the game with an empty-netter with 1.8 seconds left.

"We are banged up on D and it's tough. When you have a lot of regulars out, it's tough." Lightning interim coach Rick Tocchet said.

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