The players hope being away from home creates the conditions needed to get goals.
By BRANT JAMES
Published December 6, 2003
TAMPA - It's time, coach John Tortorella said, to huddle up and figure a way out of this mess before doubt starts sniping at the edge of the Lightning's mentality.
A 4-1 loss to Ottawa on Thursday, dropping the Lightning to 0-4-2 in its past six, makes the need even more pressing. So does the three-game losing streak and six goals in the past six games.
"There will be enough people out and about second-guessing people and asking, "What's going on with this guy? What's going on with that guy? What's going on with the hockey team? Are they for real?' " Tortorella said. "We have to keep our door shut and stay together here.
"As long as we do, I have a tremendous amount of confidence in this team and what they've gone through over the past couple of years to get going and snap out of it."
Several Lightning players said a road trip just might be the remedy. If so, it appears a schedule that afforded the Lightning nine home games among its first 11 dates and the chance to begin the season 8-1-1-1 might be working out well again. Beginning tonight at Buffalo, the Lightning begins a stretch in which it plays the next four and eight of 10 away from home. "I think we need to get out there some more and bond as a team," left wing Chris Dingman said. "At home, you have kids and family and other distractions, and it's good to get out and spend some time together."
"Usually, it's good for the team to get together sometimes if you feel the players are maybe ... I don't want to say split, but it gets team unity back," defenseman Dan Boyle said. "Sometimes going on the road does that."
The timing might be opportune, but the competition on the four-game swing is not necessarily easy. Buffalo, the last team the Lightning beat, 2-1 on Nov. 22, has flirted with a .500 record, and the Rangers (Sunday's opponent) beat the Lightning 2-0 on Nov. 25 in Tampa. The Islanders (Tuesday) are struggling, but Ottawa (Thursday) is one of the top teams in the East.
The Lightning is 3-3-2 and a loser of two straight on the road.
Left wing Cory Stillman said he believes the Lightning's scoring touch might be found somewhere between Buffalo and Atlanta, where the Lightning ends the 10-game swing Dec. 26.
"I think it is easier to work things out on the road when you're not scoring goals," he said. "You stay at home, and everyone tries to put on a show. And we can't be a team that does that. When you get on the road, you can play for a 1-0 score. And if you're looking to do that, you better play a solid perfect game."
The lack of scoring has put great pressure on the Lightning even when it has played such a game lately. Tampa Bay dominated much of the night against Ottawa but trailed 2-1 with seconds left in the second period. That's when Shane Willis, Vinny Lecavalier and Cory Sarich created a three-on-none power-play break. But Lecavalier, skating on the right, opted to pass to the middle, and Willis' shot hit goaltender Martin Prusek in the shoulder.
"When you get on the road, you don't try to play as fancy, and you have to keep it simple," Dingman said. "You concentrate on the little things. Whereas maybe at home, you try to get more fancy because the fans are cheering and whatnot."
Players and Tortorella alike equate simplifying things with solving the problem.
"The easy thing to do is kick the hell out of them and hurt the confidence even more," Tortorella said. "We need to find a way and see if some good things will happen."
