Playoff berth pays off in a big way for Khabibulin

TAMPA -- A spot in the playoffs put a nice bulge in Nikolai Khabibulin's wallet.

The Lightning goaltender earned a $1-million bonus when Tampa Bay clinched its first playoff berth since 1996, a condition of the contract he signed in March 2001.

"Obviously, it's nice to get things like that," Khabibulin said Thursday. "But if I didn't have the bonus, I'd be just as happy."

"He's a big part of the team," center Vinny Lecavalier said. "He deserves every penny of it."

Khabibulin has been indispensable during the 13-2-5 streak that put Tampa Bay in the postseason for the second time in its 11-season history. He was 11-0-2 with a .954 save percentage.

It was that kind of performance the Lightning was banking on when it signed Khabibulin to a three-plus-year $14.75-million deal, the richest in franchise history, that had incentives worth another $8.5-million. He is making $3.6-million this season.

Team president Ron Campbell said the bonuses were a way during contract negotiations to bridge the gap between what Khabibulin and his agent, Jay Grossman, wanted and what Tampa Bay wanted to pay.

"It was something that was put on the table to get the deal done," Campbell said. "It's something we're happy to be paying. We said that from Day 1, if we had the ultimate success of making the playoffs, we wouldn't have a problem paying it, we'd be doing cartwheels."

WIND TUNNEL: All Brad Lukowich wanted was to clear some congestion from his nose. He ended up blowing up the right side of his face like a balloon.

The defenseman fractured the orbital bone under his right eye during Sunday's victory over the Sharks. The swelling around the eye was significant and Lukowich said, "The side of my face felt really weird."

He said he got permission from the doctor to blow his nose. When he did, the air sneaked through the break in the bone and went into his face.

"That's where the break was, between my sinus and eyeball," Lukowich said. "Air got into the break and puffed up the whole side of my face. There was a little slit at my eyelid where I could blink. It was completely closed after that."

Lukowich, who was playing his best of the season, will miss about four weeks.

"The biggest thing is I had my game where I wanted it to be and I think where the coaches wanted it to be," he said. "Hopefully, with the right treatment, I can get back sooner rather than later."

FIRE SPORTS ILLUSTRATED: A pregame bonfire to burn Sports Illustrated's issue in which it picked the Lightning last in the 30-team league, drew about 50 people to the Chrysler/Jeep Plaza, including general manager Jay Feaster.

"Our fans have been so loyal for so long, with this emotional connection to the team," Feaster said. "Then there is this national publication -- 30th. This was really just about letting our long-suffering fans have some fun."

PLAYOFF TICKETS: Individual game tickets for the Lightning's first two playoff games go on sale at 10 a.m. today at the St. Pete Times Forum box office, tampabaylightning.com and Ticketmaster, or by calling the Lightning at (813) 301-6600.