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Former mate has different view of party
By DAMIAN CRISTODERO, BRANT JAMES and TOM JONES
Published October 6, 2005
TAMPA - One of the players greatly responsible for helping the Lightning win the Stanley Cup was on hand Wednesday, of course, at the St. Pete Times Forum as the championship banner was raised.
But this player didn't see the banner go up. While Lightning players relived and celebrated the 2003-04 Cup all over again, this player sat tucked away in the opposing dressing room trying to figure out a way to beat his old buddies.
Cory Stillman, the Lightning's second-leading scorer (seventh in the NHL) during the Cup season, is now a member of the Carolina Hurricanes. And he's still smarting a bit that he's no longer with the Lightning.
The Lightning let Stillman go after Stillman was awarded $3.9-million in an arbitration hearing. Instead, it brought back Vinny Prospal, who is making $1.9-million.
After arriving in Carolina, Stillman said, "I'll be looking forward to those eight games we play against Tampa Bay this year."
Stillman seemed less disappointed Wednesday morning, saying he had moved on and was happy to be with what he described as an up-and-coming Hurricanes team.
"But I'm still looking forward to playing these guys," Stillman said. "I'm sure I'll have a little extra juice playing them."
And as far as the banner?
"Maybe I'll check it out," Stillman said.
BIG COMPANY: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman had a knowing glow on Wednesday after watching the Lightning trot out a cache of player and team trophies and raise the 2004 championship banner. The display, after all, validated the much-maligned project in the 1990s to seed the league into nontraditional markets such as Tampa Bay and North Carolina.
"I think what we needed in a number of places was stability and the ability to compete," he said.
HUSTLE: The fourth line of center Martin Cibak, left wing Chris Dingman and right wing Rob DiMaio, an original Lightning in his second stint with the team, was sharp and aggravating, providing a solid checking game and nearly a goal late in the second period.
"Those guys didn't just kill off time. They created some things for themselves," Lightning associate coach Craig Ramsay said. "And that's key for our team and the way we play."
"We try to simplify everything," said DiMaio, who played 12:03 over 14 shifts. "Not a lot of fanciness on this line. You get in. You grind a little bit and get the puck in as best you can and try to disrupt."
OPEN UP: The bevy of new rules and mandate to call the old ones more strictly twice foreshadowed possible good things for the Lightning.
Midway through the first, Pavel Kubina was held up by defenseman Mike Commodore chasing his chip into the offensive zone, drawing an interference call that gave the Lightning a five-on-three. Brad Richards scored 20 seconds later for a 3-1 lead.
Earlier, Vinny Lecavalier sprinted onto what would have been a two-line pass from Prospal under the old rules but could not score on a whirlaround move.
"No two lines will definitely be good," Lecavalier said. "I don't know why (the old rule) was there so long. If there's no obstruction, it will really speed up the game." The connection and near-goal suggest the Vinnys have re-established the seemingly psychic link they shared before Prospal left for Anaheim before the 2003-04 season.
"I say we complement each other ... because Vinny is that kind of player where he finds the opening and I'm the guy who gives the puck to him," Prospal said. "I think the same thing with ( Ruslan Fedotenko). Those kind of players, they just find a way to get away from the opposition. And the rule changes help our game."
SLAP SHOTS: The Lightning announced a sellout crowd of 22,120, the most for a season opener at the St. Pete Times Forum. ... The Lightning is 31-0-2 dating to the 2003-04 season when Richards scores a goal.
[Last modified October 6, 2005, 01:14:18]
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