Lightning ready for next test

The team won't be satisfied until it clinches division to gain an advantage in the playoffs.

By DAMIAN CRISTODERO, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published March 27, 2003

TAMPA -- The way defenseman Pavel Kubina sees it, the Lightning is a pretty good bet to win the Southeast Division.

Asked about the Capitals, lurking in second place just three points behind, Kubina's eye was critical.

"We're a tighter team as a group," he said. "We don't have as many stars as Washington, but I think we work harder than Washington. We have a perfect group here."

And it faces a couple of interesting challenges during the regular season's final six games, and one has everything to do with the other.

Tampa Bay is feeling pretty good about itself, as it should. It clinched its first playoff berth in seven years, and did so with a rampage that features a 13-2-5 record in its past 20 games and a team-record nine-game unbeaten streak (6-0-3) that is still alive.

But the players have been pushing at a frenzied pace since Feb. 14, when the match was lit. With the playoffs achieved, is it time to exhale?

"We have to guard against that," captain Dave Andreychuk acknowledged. "But we still have another test at hand, and that will keep us motivated."

Which brings us back to Kubina and the team's quest for its first division title.

"We have six games left, and that's the next step we have to make," he said. "It's very important to get first place and get those first two home games.".

The top four teams in each conference, including the division champs, start their first-round series at home. If there is a Game 7, that also would be at home.

For the Lightning, which faces the Devils tonight at the St. Pete Times Forum and whose 50 points at home off a 21-8-5-3 record are tied for fifth in the league, that would be a huge advantage.

That is why Monday in San Jose, Calif., moments after Tampa Bay clinched its playoff spot with a 4-1 victory over the Sharks, center Tim Taylor and right wing Martin St. Louis were in the locker room trying to figure the number of points it needs to clinch the division.

With five games remaining, the best the Capitals can do is 95 points. To avoid tiebreaker complications, the Lightning needs to go from 88 to 96.

The magic number is eight, attainable with points gained by Tampa Bay or lost by Washington.

"We're in the playoffs, but our sights are set higher," center Tim Taylor said. "We want to get first place. You can't go out there and lose games."

Not only because of where the team will end up in the standings but for a little self esteem.

"The best thing about it," St. Louis said of making the playoffs, "is we're not sneaking in. We're doing it with authority. We want to get as high as we can."

Lost in all this is how well the Lightning has played on the road, improving to 14-15-8-2 with the help of a 6-1-3 mark in its past 10 games.

"It's such a confidence thing," coach John Tortorella said. "I don't think it makes any difference home or road right now. I don't think our team cares where it plays."

But if you had a choice (and considering the Lightning's fate is in its hands, it kind of does), why not choose to be at home, where you can sleep in your own bed and play in front of big, noisy crowds at the Times Forum?

"It's huge," center Brad Richards said. "It goes back to not being satisfied. We're not satisfied right now. If we get home ice, it will set us up nicely for what we want right now."

What else would a perfect group want?

LUKOWICH OUT FOUR WEEKS: Defenseman Brad Lukowich will be out for a month with a nondisplaced fracture of the orbital bone below his right eye, the team announced. He was injured with 5:01 remaining Monday when he was hit by the stick blade of Sharks right wing Jonathan Cheechoo.

Lukowich's spot could be taken by Jassen Cullimore, who has not played since Nov. 27 because of a shoulder injury. A determination will be made today.