By DAMIAN CRISTODERO and FRANK PASTOR
Published March 17, 2004
TAMPA - Enough went wrong for the Lightning in the third period of Tuesday's 3-1 loss to the Islanders that pinning the blame on one miscue would be unfair.
But coach John Tortorella said New York's first of three third-period goals "was awful to allow them back in (the game)," and pointed the finger at goalie Nikolai Khabibulin, now 5-9 vs. the Isles.
Tortorella also called the play of Khabibulin and John Grahame, who was in goal for Saturday's 5-1 loss to Carolina, "a major concern of mine going into the playoffs."
New York tied it 1:30 into the period when Mattias Weinhandl went short side into a top corner over Khabibulin's shoulder. The shot was good, but it came from such an extreme angle, Tortorella said it should not have gotten through.
"It's below the circle. We need a save," he said. "If Nikolai Khabibulin can't make that save at that point in time from where that shot was taken, we're in trouble. If you can't get a save like that come playoff time, we're in trouble."
Tortorella did not overlook Grahame, who allowed five goals on 26 shots against the Hurricanes and whose save percentage in his past three games is .871.
"The last two games our goaltending has not helped us," he said.
BOO BIRDS: After an 18-game points streak and on a 26-4-2-4 streak since Jan.3, the Lightning was booed during Saturday's loss to Carolina.
"I'm used to it," wing Ruslan Fedotenko said. "I was in Philly and you know how they can be. They taste that great season and they want that. They expect every game for us to play well."
MIXED REVIEWS: It was Andre Roy's turn to sit in the game of musical wings Tortorella is playing with the fourth line.
"I'd rather be playing this way than not at all," said Roy, who from Jan.8 to Feb.28 was a healthy scratch for 26 consecutive games.
But the plan to rotate Roy, Ben Clymer and Chris Dingman to ensure each is sharp come playoff time is not a complete hit.
"I'd be lying if I told you I liked it," Clymer said. "We're all competitive guys. We all want to play every game."
"Obviously, I'd love to play every night," Dingman said. "But it's good in the sense that you know if you're coming out, you're going back in."
ODDS AND ENDS: Defenseman Pavel Kubina will be featured on Sunshine Network's Inside the Lightning at 4:30 p.m. Thursday. ... Defenseman Brad Lukowich sat out with a stomach virus, so Nolan Pratt played for the second straight game. ... Defenseman Darren Rumble was scratched.
