Bolts fall to Stars in overtime

Mike Smith swears he never circled Saturday's game on his calendar when the schedule came out during the summer. He knew at some point he would make his way back to Dallas to face his former team.

But that didn't mean he wasn't excited to get between the pipes and face the Stars in his first return trip to face the organization he spent honing his craft with during the first five years of his career.

"It's exciting to be back, it's great. I had a couple of good years here in Dallas, met a lot of good people and I can't say enough about the organization," Smith said.

"I have a lot of great memories with the players on this team and some great friendships that will never be lost.

"I wish I would have beat them."

Although Smith stopped 34 shots and put in a strong effort, a short-side shot by Tom Wandel gave Dallas a 4-3 overtime victory Saturday, spoiling a late Lightning rally.

"I was there and I thought he was shooting high but he got it under my pad," Smith said of the game-winner. "I think he missed on it a little and didn't get all of it."

"These kind of games show you that you have to stay in games because you never know what can happen," Lightning coach Rick Tocchet said. "We got the game to 3-3 and then get a power play with two minutes left. We would have taken that at the beginning of the game."

Smith looked sharp early and if there were any jitters heading into the game, it didn't show. In a fast-moving, penalty-free first period, Smith had to make 13 saves as the Lightning tried to find their legs and build up some momentum after getting just five shots on net in the opening 20 minutes.

Despite the shot disparity, the Lightning were playing a solid road game, keeping their shifts short coming off a game the night before. It also resulted in the opening goal of the game when Paul Szczechura stripped Matt Niskanen of the puck at the Tampa Bay blue line and raced down ice to collect the loose puck as he came down the left wing side. Szczechura then wristed a shot past Alex Auld for his second goal in as many games for a 1-0 Lightning lead at 6:18 of the second period.

Things were going well for Tampa Bay as it continued the simple approach to the game until the referees decided to put their whistles to work. After going more than half the game without a power play, Ryan Malone was called for holding at 13:59 that started a three-minute parade to the penalty box. Smith threw a puck into the stands at 14:55, giving the Stars a two-man advantage that Stephane Robidas converted with a one-timer from the first circle.

With Marty St. Louis still in the box serving Smith's delay-of-game call, Andrej Meszaros was whistled for cross checking at 16:55, giving Dallas another two-man advantage and allowing Jere Lehtinen to score from the left post just as the five-on-three expired.

On the Lightning's second man-advantage chance of the night, Steven Stamkos scored his 17th goal of the season, and seventh on the power play, with a short-side wrist shot with 4:54 left in the game. Former Star Jeff Halpern tied the game 47 seconds later with a weak backhander through the legs of Auld.