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Bolts Bounce Back Against Columbus

The Associated Press

Tampa Bay's Martin St. Louis, center, celebrates with Matt Smaby, left, and Steven Stamkos, right.

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By TONY FABRIZIO | The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 24, 2009

Updated: 03/25/2009 01:46 am

TAMPA - Five nights after being shown up by Alex Ovechkin on his now-famous "hot stick" celebration, Tampa Bay's Mike McKenna quietly established that he's no prop for opposing players.

The rookie goaltender blocked 33 of 34 shots, and left wing Marty St. Louis scored in overtime Tuesday night as the Lightning scratched out a 2-1 victory against a Columbus Blue Jackets team that was 13-3-1 against the Eastern Conference.

McKenna said he had no extra motivation to play well after Thursday's 5-2 loss to Washington, which included Ovechkin's 50th goal and a disrespecting sideshow that became the talk of the NHL.

"That's in the past," McKenna said. "I knew that was going to get blown out of proportion. It was just one of those silly things that are controversial."

Against Columbus, McKenna was rock solid. The one goal that got through was a shot by Jan Hejda that found the net after deflecting off Lightning defenseman Matt Smaby.

Tampa Bay managed only seven shots through the first two periods against 20-year-old rookie Steve Mason, who entered with the NHL's second-best goals-against average (2.23) and was bidding for a league-leading 10th shutout.

After Hejda's goal with 15:49 left in regulation broke a scoreless tie, the Lightning woke up. Ryan Malone scored on a tip-in off a shot by Matt Lashoff with 9:05 left, as Tampa Bay's improving power play notched a goal in a seventh consecutive game.

St. Louis got the winner 3:04 into overtime after first banging one off the left post. It was his ninth consecutive game with at least one point.

"As ugly as it was, we found a way," St. Louis said. "Is that a positive? That's probably the only positive we can take out of this game, because we weren't very good in the first two periods."

Lightning rookie Steven Stamkos had two assists, including the winning pass, to extend his point streak to six games.

THREE STARS, SUM, Page 2

Reporter Tony Fabrizio can be reached at (813) 259-7994.

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