TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Murphy Makes Most Of Chance

ADVERTISEMENT

The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 22, 2009

TAMPA - After an MVP campaign in the Finnish Elite League, D Cory Murphy thought he finally caught his break to play in the NHL when he signed a two-year deal with Florida before the 2007-08 season.

But a shoulder injury limited him to 47 games last season. This year, he couldn't crack Florida's top six out of training camp and was placed on waivers. Another situation - same shoulder, different injury - set him back again. Eventually he went to the minors and was placed on waivers again.

Now, he has a second chance to show what he can bring after Tampa Bay claimed the 30-year-old off re-entry Monday. Murphy logged 23 minutes, 12 seconds of ice time in his Tampa Bay debut and picked up an assist on the game-winner against Dallas. Wednesday, he had a goal and an assist in 24:32 of ice time while earning the game's No. 1 star.

"To me, I just have to come to the rink and do my job, whatever that is," said Murphy, who is in the last year of his contract. "It's obviously been frustrating not playing, but there is nothing I can do other than play and that's what I'm trying to do. I'm looking at this as an opportunity to start playing and contribute."

Where he can contribute the most is on the power play. His MVP year in Finland he set a league record for points by a defenseman with 50 in 45 games. Wednesday, he scored a power-play goal with 5.8 seconds left in the second period with a slap shot from the center point.

"I know it was his first two games, but I can see he's really excited to be here and he wants to make a mark," Lightning interim coach Rick Tocchet said. "Here's a chance, he sees our blue line is a bit thin and maybe he can fill a role that we are looking for, maybe a power-play guy, but it's up to him to take a hold of it. Can he do it? It's up to him but his first game was a pretty good first game for him."

TAKING NOTES

Tocchet was asked Wednesday about C Steven Stamkos' routine during the games in which he sits out, and when the subject of Stamkos taking notes while watching the game came up and whether the rookie was carrying a notepad, the reply was: "He's working, it's not like he's up there watching the ice girls."

Speaking of the Lightning girls, they will appear at the Venue at 2675 Ulmerton Road in Clearwater on Thursday from 8-10 p.m.

CLOCKING OUT

Tampa Bay's overworked and ultra banged-up blue line will get some extra time to rest up, and hopefully heal up, this weekend.

With the league off until Tuesday for All-Star weekend, it allows the likes of defensemen Paul Ranger and Marek Malik recovery time while giving Steve Eminger, Andrej Meszaros and Lukas Krajicek - all three of whom have been logging 25-plus minutes a night of late - a chance to relax.

"It's huge for us," Tocchet said of the five-day break. "Our defense needs it more than anybody. Some of our forwards who have been playing well probably wish we could keep playing because they've been scoring goals or whatnot, but for our D, we need it big time."

NUTS AND BOLTS

The goal by Krajicek in the second period was his first in 65 games, dating to Nov. 29, 2007, against Columbus. ... D Ty Wishart, who was called up earlier in the day, collected his first career point with an assist on Jeff Halpern's goal in the second period. After the game, Wishart and RW Steve Downie were reassigned to AHL Norfolk. ... Wednesday was the third time this season Tampa Bay has scored five or more goals, the second time against the Sabres.

Erik Erlendsson

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT