Tampa Bay posts shutout over Thrashers in preseason game

TAMPA -- Where were all these goals last season?

With a 6-0 victory over the Thrashers Tuesday night at the St. Pete Times Forum, the Lightning has scored at least five goals in four of seven preseason games.

Tampa Bay had four five-goal games last season.

Coach John Tortorella wants his players to note their success.

"To see it happen in games against different opponents, maybe it will click that it does work and we're accomplishing something here," he said.

Tampa Bay (4-2-1), a winner of three in a row, accomplished much in its final preseason home game.

Center Brad Richards had his best game with two goals and a 58 percent winning percentage on faceoffs.

Vinny Prospal had two goals. Dan Boyle's two assists gave him eight in preseason. Vinny Lecavalier, Martin St. Louis and Nolan Pratt had two assists, Ruslan Fedotenko had a goal and two assists, and Nikolai Khabibulin made 32 saves.

The team was 3-for-5 on the power play, forechecked well and created turnovers and offensive chances. But the players weren't gloating, especially about their 28 goals.

"No teams have their full lineups," Richards said.

"You can't really read too much into these games," Khabibulin said. "It's nice to win but I wouldn't be jumping up and down right now."

NO DEAL: A story in the Ottawa Sun said the Lightning offered the Senators a draft choice for goaltender Jani Hurme, who was dealt to the Panthers for two junior prospects. Lightning general manager Jay Feaster said no deal was proposed. Feaster said Ottawa general manager John Muckler called to ask if he was interested and he told Muckler he was not.

OPPORTUNISTIC: Florida's acquisition of Hurme should not have been a surprise, considering how the Lightning manhandled the Panthers in two preseason games. Hurme has almost a quarter of his 25 career victories against Tampa Bay: 6-0-1 with two shutouts and a 1.55 goals-against average.

FINAL CUTS: Tortorella said he will make four cuts Sunday to reach the 23-man roster limit. He said he has considered 20 to 25 different lineups.'

WAIVER DRAFT: Protected lists for Friday's draft will be released today. Teams can protect 18 skaters and two goaltenders. Lightning players exempt from the draft because of limited NHL play are forwards Dmitry Afanasenkov, Nikita Alexeev, Martin Cibak, Matt Elich, Sheldon Keefe, Jimmie Olvestad, Alexander Svitov and Ryan Tobler, defensemen Mathieu Biron, Kristian Kudroc and Harlan Pratt, and goaltender Evgeny Konstantinov.

ODDS AND ENDS: Right wing Ben Clymer took 13 stitches above his right eye when hit by a puck in the first period. The payoff: Clymer got an assist on Tim Taylor's goal when the puck bounced off Clymer's head to Boyle who got the puck to Taylor. ... The Lightning has outscored the Thrashers 14-1 in two preseason games. ... Forwards Alexeev, Cibak, Andre Roy, Shane Willis and Dave Andreychuk (broken toe), and defensemen Brad Lukowich and Darren Rumble were scratched. ... Forwards Dany Heatley and Ilya Kovalchuk were scratched for Atlanta.