If ever there was a game that was the poster child for abolishing the shootout ...
The Lightning took big steps forward in storming back against the Panthers after trailing 3-0, only to fall victim to the skills competition after the extra frame. Florida goaltender Tomas Vokoun turned away Vinny Lecavalier and Marty St. Louis and saw Jussi Jokinen shoot wide in the shootout, while Nathan Horton connected for the Panthers against Mike Smith.
As you'll see if you read on, in my notes from earlier, I wasn't thrilled with Tampa's game early on, though I thought things got better as the game got older. Once Radim Vrbata (finally) connected for his first goal of the season, late in the second, the higher intensity that we are told to expect under interim head coach Rick Tocchet seemed to finally show up.
As Tocchet told me himself at the postgame press conference, he was happy with the intensity level in tonight's game and singled out his defensemen.
"No question," he said.
"Our 'D' were really activated, especially in the last half of the game. They were really coming up and closing the gap."
As for the forwards, it sounds like Tocchet would still like to see them play a game a bit more similar to that of his own, crashing the net and burying chances down low.
"We gotta keep stressing forwards to go to the net. Pucks are lying around there and we gotta put those pucks in. We gotta get those ugly goals. They'll start to come and that starts in practice."
Exhibit A? Evgeny Artyukhin's third period marker that made it 3-2 Florida and, really, Arty's whole game tonight - by far, in my opinion, his best of the season thus far.
All in all, it's a start for the Tocchet-led Lightning. Still plenty of flaws to iron out (and still Tocch's first win to be had, naturally) but if tonight's effort in battling back is even the most subtle of leading indicators - and, boy, are people around here sure hoping it is - they're inching ever so closer to being on the right track.
Gotta build on it, though, and the Nashville Predators come to town Friday for the Lightning's next test.
[email protected]
***
In-game updates from earlier tonight:
Quite simply, they started playing the type of game I've been screaming for. Physical, up-tempo and heavy on the shots on net (50 through regulation.)
Steve Eminger's first Lightning goal (though that may change) knots it up at 3 and we're off to sudden death.
Lots to build on with this comeback already ... but a win would do so much for this club right now.
JJ
***
After two, the Panthers lead 3-1, the shutout broken by ... wait for it ... wait for it ...
Radim Vrbata, in what surely must seem like his first goal in 1,000 games.
Stamkos drew an assist on the goal, where Vrbata showed real patience in corralling the puck and firing it into a half-open net.
Hey, the point will do the kid well. For what it's worth, he was in the middle of a lot of action again in the second, in on more scoring chances, creating and looking a tad more comfortable overall, if only for a period. Thirteen shifts through two, 9:50 TOI, an assist, +1, 8 shots on goal, a hit and 4-2 on faceoffs.
As for the rest of the team, aside from that goal, there was still too much of what's become stat quo, although the magical shot clock fairy must have paid a visit because she's showing 37 shots on goal. Hmmph ...
I'll leave you with this until postgame ... this team, this crowd, the very owner of the very fingers typing this very update, is screaming for a black jersey to put a white jersey through the glass and make a statement. More physical play and more intensity = better results. Period. End of story. (And more than three goals in a game certainly wouldn't hurt, of course.)
And just as I write this, big ol' Evgeny Artyukhin just hammered home a one-timer from right in front of the net (you know,
right where he should be) on a fabulous feed from Lecavalier ...
3-2 Florida
Back late night ...
JJ
***
The Lightning trail the Florida Panthers 2-0 after one here at home.
I'm sorry but, for a team that's supposed to be turning up the tempo and playing with more intensity, I just don't see it. Sure, there are spurts at times, but nothing sustained. A good shift here, a solid chance there but things in this building, and surely the sparse crowd has something to do with it, are just plain, well,
blah ...
As I just said to a neighboring scribe, maybe Rick Tocchet needs to lay into an on-ice official or something. Maybe even
"Ftorek a bench", so to speak. Something, anything to fire up this club because, for a team now led by a guy like Tocchet, they sure show next to nothing in terms of anything resembling his type of game. They're far too dead and far to blase far too often out there ... and I don't get it.
As for my eye on Steven Stamkos, he's been on and off the Lecavalier/St. Louis line throughout the first. Having also skated alongside Matt Pettinger and Radim Vrbata, as well as Gary Roberts and Vinny Prospal for a shift or two, Stamkos had 7 shifts in the first, 4:11 TOI, 3 shots on goal and a hit to his credit.
He's had a few decent scoring chances and has set a few up as well but, to me, he still looks a bit unsure at times - maybe starting to really squeeze the stick these days.
That's just what I'm seeing.
More after the second ...
JJ
[email protected] 
Join the Discussion:
»