Modin gets back to 20-goal plateau

TAMPA - There was a look of contentment on the face of Lightning left wing Fredrik Modin on Saturday.

Sure, any player would have one after a two-goal game. But reaching 20 for the first time since 2000-01 had to be gratifying, especially because he had scored no more than 17 (last season) since producing 32 in what was believed to be a breakout 2000-01 season.

More reassuring was how Modin popped in Nos. 20 and 21. The first, after Ruslan Fedotenko kept the puck in the zone, came by collecting a poke from Cory Stillman and rushing the net. The second came on a break, reading a pass from defenseman Dan Boyle, controlling a bounce off the boards he admitted was fortuitous and smacking his own rebound into the net.

"As we got through the neutral zone (Boyle) was kind of looking at me," said Modin, who had his fourth multigoal game of the season. "There was eye contact there, and I knew he was going to dump it in my corner.

"I don't think he gets the wood on it he wants. It rolls a little bit, but he gets a great bounce. And it comes right back out to me. It jumped over my stick. But I got a couple of whacks on it, and it goes in."

OUT AGAIN: Defenseman Jassen Cullimore missed his second straight game since bruising his right shoulder Wednesday. It still is considered a minor setback. Cullimore, who has six points and is plus-8 in 62 games, said he was unsure when he would return. "There's some movement in there," he said. "So we need to get the joint stabilized."

A Lightning player had not missed consecutive games with an injury since Boyle and Ben Clymer missed four in December with concussions. The Lightning has the fewest man-games lost in the league with 16.

GOAL ORIENTED: Modin's goals mark the first time in franchise history five players scored at least 20. Martin St. Louis leads with 31 followed by Vinny Lecavalier (24), Modin and Stillman (21) and Brad Richards (20). Four players had at least 20 last season.

HEAD OUT: It could be worse. Andre Roy could play for the Devil Rays. Instead of the embarrassment of being demoted to the minors just before his bobblehead doll giveaway, like Rays outfielder Jason Tyner in 2002, the Lightning left wing was simply a healthy scratch Saturday. Several booed when he was announced as a scratch. Roy skated with the fourth line in practice and skated in pregame warmups but was inactive for the 26th consecutive game.

"It's a precautionary thing," coach John Tortorella said. "We have some bumps and bruises with a few players, and I just want to keep him around there in case we do need something."

ODDS AND ENDS: Roy, Cullimore and defenseman Darren Rumble were scratched.

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