Lightning

Lightning gets standout wing from Finland

Tampa Bay signed left wing Eero Somervuori (pronounced AIR-oh Suh-muhr-VOR-ee) to a one-year contract and expect him to compete for a place on the team.

"With what he accomplished, lesser guys have made the step to the NHL," head scout Jake Goertzen said. "I think he will be a contributor. He was on the best line in the Finnish elite league, not just on his team."

The Lightning drafted Somervuori, 24, in the seventh round (170th overall) in 1997.

His 45 points for HPK, the elite league's regular-season champion, were eighth in the league. His 21 goals were 11th. Goertzen said the 5-foot-10, 185-pounder has good ice vision, will take a hit to make a play and has "no glaring weaknesses."

"The biggest thing is going to be how he will adjust," he said.

Somervuori, speaking by phone from Helsinki, said the biggest adjustment will be playing with a red line, absent from the European game.

"I want to stay, get some experience and learn North American hockey," he said. "Now I get my chance. I hope I can take it."

Today's lineup