Vinny will take wins over goals

Since returning from a 15-game absence with a broken hand, Vinny Lecavalier has launched one-timers, rocketed wrist shots and sizzled slap shots on goal without landing one in the net.

So naturally, the Lightning captain's first goal back from injury came from a redirected shot off a Pavel Kubina pass in the second period Thursday during a 4-3 shootout victory against the New York Rangers.

"It feels great,'' Lecavalier said of scoring. "We had a lot of trouble getting into their zone and it lifted us to get rewarded for that, so it felt good.''

In his first four games back from surgery to repair a non-displace fracture near the knuckle of his right index finger, Lecavalier looked to be back in midseason form. He failed to record fewer than four shots on goal in any of his first four games with 20 total shots, and his line - including Simon Gagne and Sean Bergenheim - was involved in more scoring chances than any other on the team.

For Lecavalier to finally get on the scoreboard and contribute with a goal is a welcome relief and a boost to the lineup as Southeast Division-leading Tampa Bay travels this morning to face Atlanta, which is two points behind in the standings.

"It's great because he's been getting the most scoring chances that anybody has had in the last (four) games,'' Lightning coach Guy Boucher said. "To me, it's just a result of the process of that hard work and sticking with it. He gets inside real close to the net where you have to pay the price, and he's been there the whole time, so he's going to get some more.''

Lecavalier said he has had no issue with his hand since returning Dec. 15 against Atlanta and his conditioning has been at top level. All the chances without scoring resulted in some frustration for the former Rocket Richard Trophy winner, who has seen his goal production drop rapidly from 52 to 40, 29 and 24 the past four seasons.

"The first three games after I came back we had at least three or four chances a night, everybody did on our line, so it is frustrating but we are winning games, that's all that matters,'' Lecavalier said. "If we were losing games it would be more frustrating, but we are winning games. I think the team is playing great and we weren't disappointed after games. We just know that it's going to go in eventually and we need to keep playing the same way.''

With the consistent production Tampa Bay is getting from Steven Stamkos and Marty St. Louis, who rank second and third, respectively, in league scoring, getting contributions from Lecavalier and his line will make the Lightning a more formidable offense for teams to defend. The rest of the team knows it will happen at some point.

"You know he is going to get on the scoreboard eventually, both him and (Gagne),'' left wing Ryan Malone said. "Those guys are elite players in this league, so it's just a matter of time for those guys.''

That's the sense Lecavalier has as well.

"It's just a matter of finishing,'' he said. "We just have to keep doing the same thing.''

eerlendsson@tampatrib.com

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