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Lecavalier's 300th Career Goal Leads Bolts, 8-6

The Associated Press

Steven Stamkos, right, celebrates his goal with Mark Recchi, who had five assists in Tampa Bay's 8-6 win at Calgary.

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By IAN BUSBY

Tribune correspondent

Published: March 1, 2009

Updated: 03/02/2009 01:15 am

CALGARY, Alberta - Vinny Lecavalier took a stick to the face, then stuck it to the Flames.

After getting hit in the mouth with Robyn Regehr's errant high stick in the third period, it took 15 seconds for Lecavalier to make them pay on the ensuing power play.

Lecavalier's 300th career goal, his second of the game, quieted a celebratory home crowd at the Saddledome in an 8-6 victory over the Flames.

On a feed from Mark Recchi, who had five assists, Lecavalier one-timed a slap shot home for a three-point night.

"They just told me about the 300. I've been with the Lightning for a lot of years. I'm pretty proud of my teammates and all the pretty passes they sent me. It's great honor," Lecavalier said.

"It's just nice to get a win. We haven't scored that many goals this year, so to come out and get a few power-play goals is a great team effort. Everybody produced and everybody had a great game. It's nice to have a win going home on a long flight."

The Lightning seemed to get caught up in Jarome Iginla night during the second period. With a goal and two assists in the middle period, Iginla passed Theo Fleury for the Flames' franchise points record, and there was a deafening standing ovation from the sellout crowd.

Down 4-2 midway through the second, the Lightning roared back with three goals in less than five minutes to take a 5-4 lead after two periods.

Lecavalier's first sparked the rally, then Steven Stamkos scored on a great pass from Recchi and Vinny Prospal notched a power-play goal to take the lead.

After 20 minutes it was tied 1-1, but the Lightning jumped to a 2-1 lead when Marty St. Louis unleashed a slap shot off his own rebound to beat Miikka Kiprusoff, who was pulled after two periods in favor of Curtis McElhinney.

Goalie Mike McKenna made the start for the Lightning for the first time in five games and picked up his third victory.

Iginla tied the record with his 25th goal and had assists on second-period goals by Craig Conroy and Michael Cammalleri to break it. Iginla scored to start the second period for a four-point night.

Iginla has 834 points in 922 career games, all with the Flames. He broke the franchise record of 830 set by Fleury in 791 games. The two were teammates for three seasons before Fleury was traded to Colorado in the 1998-99 season.

Stamkos' goal, on a picture-perfect pass from Recchi from the corner, notched his 13th of the season, equaling the total Lecavalier scored in his rookie campaign a decade ago.

Ryan Malone also scored for the Lightning, and Recchi finished with five assists.

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