Smith Shoulders Blame For Lightning Loss

One man does not a loss create.

But that didn't stop Lightning goaltender Mike Smith from shouldering the blame for a 3-2 loss to Carolina on Thursday, dropping Tampa Bay 10 points out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

The Hurricanes scored their first goal on Smith's turnover to Matt Cullen, who fed Chad LaRose in front of the net for a short-handed goal. Cullen then managed to get a wraparound past Smith for Carolina's second goal. The Hurricanes would win the game during a scramble in front with 1:36 left.

"If you want to be a big-time goalie in this league, you want to help the team win, I can't let in goals like the first two; I cost the team two points in the biggest game of the year," said Smith, who finished with 28 saves. "I'm sick to my stomach, I feel like I let the team down. The best goalies in the league rise to the occasion when the game is on the line like that and I have to find a way to mentally get through games like that and play like I have been."

Tampa Bay grabbed a 1-0 lead after the first period on a goal by Mark Recchi before Carolina took the lead heading into the third. Recchi then set up Ryan Malone for a tying goal 5:10 into the third to pull things even.

Lightning interim coach Rick Tocchet didn't find fault in the team's approach and effort in the game and he didn't place any blame for the loss on the goaltender. "Mike's a leader and leaders do that, he's not hiding from the fact, but he still played a good game," Tocchet said.

Alternate captain Jeff Halpern said if not for Smith's play early when he stopped all 13 shots, the plays in the second period wouldn't have mattered.

"He's the reason we are in every game and I think it's great if he feels that pressure because it makes him such a good goalie," Halpern said. "But there were 18 other guys playing tonight who could have made a difference."

Reporter Erik Erlendsson can be reached at