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Bolts Get Character Victory

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A Tribune staff, wire report

The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 11, 2009

Updated: 01/11/2009 12:13 am

ANAHEIM, Calif. - Playing their first game without No. 1 draft pick Steven Stamkos, the Lightning showed their future star how much conditioning plays a part in having success late in games.
Ryan Malone scored his second goal of the game with 9:10 left in the third period to put Tampa Bay ahead for good after it blew a two-goal lead, and Marty St. Louis had a short-handed goal and two assists in the Lightning's 4-3 victory over Anaheim late Friday.

"The guys showed some of the will and the character to win, and that can go a long way for a lot of players when you win games like that," Bolts interim coach Rick Tocchet said.

Said Malone: "Marty said it on the bench. The word was composure. Everyone was running around a little out there, but I think everybody took a deep breath and everyone started going hard to get back some confidence as a team that you need to either protect a one-goal lead or score the next goal. You know it's going to happen when you play the right way."

Vinny Prospal also scored and Vinny Lecavalier had two assists for the Lightning, 7-12-6 since Tocchet replaced Barry Melrose as coach on Nov. 14.

"These last 12-15 games we've really been coming together and playing more as a team," Malone said.

Stamkos was put on a conditioning program by Tocchet to build up his strength after a 16-game stretch in which he had only one goal and two assists. The 6-foot, 180-pound center, who turns 19 on Feb. 7, will be given a game off here and there during the rest of the season to put in some extra work.

He will not sit out consecutive games, though, which means he will match up against No. 2 overall pick Drew Doughty when the Lightning play the Los Angeles Kings on Monday night.

"I don't consider it a healthy scratch, just because he didn't dress," Tocchet said. "He'll be back in the lineup the next game, and we're going to stick with a schedule. He got some work done off the ice. This is a learning curve, and this is part of the process for him."

Tribune reporter Erik Erlendsson contributed to this report.

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