Loss can't stem pride of a hard-fought season

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Defenseman Dan Boyle sat in a nearly empty dressing room, his skates still laced, his pads still on, his eyes still wet.

The Lightning did not plan to lose.

But it lost with pride.

"We went down fighting," Boyle said. "The playoffs were definitely a growing experience for us. We've got a lot of bumps and bruises, but we went down fighting. That was a positive."

Moments after Grant Marshall's triple-overtime winner ended the longest game in Lightning history - 111 minutes, 12 seconds - the mood was somber. But in addition to the players' disappointment, there was a measure of satisfaction.

For a great season.

For a great effort.

In the playoffs for the first time in seven years and the second time in franchise history, Tampa Bay rallied from an 0-2 deficit to win four straight against Washington in the first round. And facing elimination on the road against the two-time Stanley Cup champion Devils, the Lightning played valiantly.

"I think every athlete when you're done, whether it's a win or a loss, wants to be able to say they put it all out there," center Brad Richards said. "The last three or four weeks have been a lot of fun. I can't wait to get back for next year."

Facing elimination for the first time in the playoffs, the Lightning seemed to gain confidence as the game went on. And on. And on. After taking 17 shots in regulation, it pushed Devils goalie Martin Brodeur to the limit in overtime.

By the third overtime, Tampa Bay seemed in control, able to set up its offense in the New Jersey zone more effectively than at any time in the series.

"It was a do-or-die game for us; we knew that," said wing Fredrik Modin, whose second-period goal was disallowed because he kicked it into the net. "We fought hard, but the puck didn't go in for us. But we've taken our game to another level."

New Jersey veteran Ken Daneyko said he wanted no part of a return trip to Tampa for a possible Game 6. He expects to see the Lightning in the playoffs for many years to come.

"There was a lot of fight in that team," Daneyko said. "They're a young, hungry team and they're going to be going in that direction for years to come. They have a lot of talent and they're going to continue to build it. They're not a team that's going to disappear after one year."

The checking line of center Tim Taylor and wings Nikita Alexeev and Chris Dingman harassed the Devils throughout, providing the only goal on Alexeev's slapshot and several terrific scoring chances.

"This was a good experience for our young guys," Dingman said. "As an organization we took a big step forward. For a lot of years, Tampa Bay was looked at as a lower team that didn't get a lot of respect. I think we played some good hockey. We showed some teams that we have a good team."

Even after the red light came on to signal Marshall's goal and the end of the Lightning's season, Taylor was not ready to give up. He argued with officials that the play should have been stopped because a New Jersey player pushed him into the net at the other end, effectively creating a 5-on-4 for the Devils.

To no avail.

"It's tough to lose like that," Taylor said. "But we should be proud of our accomplishments and what we did this season. We made great strides."

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