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Lightning Midseason Report

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 12, 2009

The first half of the Lightning season had enough drama, intrigue, ups and frequent downs to fill a season-long script of a daytime soap opera.

The hope is the second half - which begins late tonight in Los Angeles - is more like "The Guiding Light" instead of "As the World Turns."

For a good portion of the first 41 games, Tampa Bay was in the same place it finished last year - in last place. Entering tonight, the Lightning are tied for the fewest victories in the league (12), have the fewest home wins (four), are the third-lowest scoring team in the league (101 goals) and are ranked 27th in the league.

The locker room has been a revolving door with a league-high 38 players suiting up in at least one game. The team fired a high-profile coach. Two players jumped ship back to Europe and the entire organization has been the butt of its fair share of jokes under the new ownership led by Oren Koules and Len Barrie.

But following a meeting last week where ownership reassured the league that the organization is on solid ground going forward with the stability and structure provided on the ice by interim coach Rick Tocchet and associate coach Mike Sullivan, the dust finally may be settling down.

"I guess there has been a lot of attention on us and it felt like early on that every day there was a move being made or something was happening," said left wing Ryan Malone, a high-profile acquisition. "I think now with Tocc and the coaching staff, everyone is buying in trying to make sure we get the job done."

A look back at the first half of the season:

Best Game

Not a lot to choose from here, but a 2-0 victory in Pittsburgh in which the Penguins were held to 15 shots might have been the most complete team effort of the year.

Worst Game

There are a few worthy candidates here, but a 2-0 loss Dec. 13 in Ottawa tops the list. Coming off a solid victory in Montreal two nights prior, the Lightning put up little effort against a vulnerable Senators team in a matchup of teams who wanted to lose less instead of win more.

Most-Bizarre Moment

In the final minute of the Dec. 2 game in Philadelphia, Ryan Malone has a breakaway opportunity to win the game, but is stopped by Martin Biron. Flyers forward Scott Hartnell, however, threw his glove at Malone, giving Malone another chance with a penalty shot, only to be turned aside. Malone wound up in the penalty box on Philadelphia's overtime winner.

Best Individual Performance

Friday night in Anaheim, Marty St. Louis invoked memories of his MVP season, almost willing the team to victory. He took off and attacked Ducks defensemen on his short-handed goal, was aggressive at both ends of the ice and was a major calming influence on the bench when Anaheim scored twice in 18 seconds to tie the game late in the second period.

Best Moment Of Leadership

Again, Marty St. Louis tops the list when he publically challenged his teammates after a 4-3 loss in Atlanta on Dec. 20. After the game, St. Louis used words like "clock killers" to describe the play of some in the locker room, vented his frustration and questioned whether anybody had the desire to win.

Worst Display Of Maturity

A month after he was fired, former coach Barry Melrose told a Toronto radio station he wished the Lightning wouldn't win another game the rest of the season. Len Barrie responded by calling Melrose's preparation a joke.

Biggest Bust

Right wing Radim Vrbata was supposed to provide consistent second-line scoring after he was signed to a three-year, $9 million contract. But he struggled with his game, was a healthy scratch and eventually asked to return to his native Czech Republic in early December.

Biggest Addition

There were some hefty expectations on left wing Ryan Malone after he signed a six-year contract in late June, but Malone's value isn't measured totally in his offensive numbers, which are solid to this point with 12 goals and 23 points as he's battled through some injuries. It's the intangibles which Malone brings, however, that show his worth in the locker room.

First-Half MVP

The Lightning would be leading the race for top draft prospect John Tavares if not for the play of goaltender Mike Smith, whose save percentage (.919) and goals-against average (2.55) are solid, but don't tell the whole story.

Second-Half Outlook

As the trade deadline approaches in early March, the Lightning will no doubt be a seller - provided the current economics allow for buyers - as they look to retool for the summer and beyond. But with their recent play, the cellar will be reserved for other dwellers.

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