Lightning/NHL

Lightning gets back on track at home

Tampa Bay scores three in the second to hold off Atlanta.

By EDUARDO A. ENCINA
Published November 12, 2006

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TAMPA - The Lightning might have saved its season during its recent 3-0-1 trip, but coming home Saturday to play the Thrashers offered its own challenge.

Facing the high-scoring and physical Thrashers - who brought three of the top five point scorers in the league to the St. Pete Times Forum - was daunting enough. But the real concern was whether the Lightning could carry over its success at home.

That question, at least for one night, was easily answered. The Lightning scored three goals in the second period en route to a 5-3 win over Atlanta.

"As far as winning on the road, you have to win on your home ice to make those wins stand," Lightning coach John Tortorella said. "That first one coming back from a road trip, you never know where it's going to go."

The Lightning (9-7-1) has scored four or more goals in each of its past five games. It took advantage of 13 Atlanta penalties, scoring three power-play goals, including defenseman Dan Boyle's first of the season. Brad Richards and Nikita Alexeev each added a goal and an assist.

"Nowhere good enough," Boyle said of the his team's 4-5 home record. "We need to play a lot better at home. It's a good start for us. As a player, you just need to remind yourself things don't have to change."

The key was the Lightning's play away from the puck. The team was aggressive with its forechecking and controlled the neutral zone in shutting down an offense that entered Saturday tied for most goals in the league.

Tampa Bay had several early opportunities with a man advantage but couldn't capitalize on its first four power plays.

But the Lightning capitalized in its fifth power play by scoring the first goal at 17:55 in the first on Ryan Craig's deflection off Boyle's slap shot from the point.

"We were a little impatient, but Craiger scored a big goal," Tortorella said.

At 4:58 in the second, Boyle scored on another deflected slap shot on the power play, but this time his shot hit off Atlanta defenseman Niclas Havelid's stick blade.

Boyle's two points marked his first in his past six games.

Richards added another goal at 12:26 in the second period, his fifth goal of the season, an unassisted score that extended his point streak to six games. Vinny Lecavalier scored his 10th goal of the season on a perfect pass from Alexeev.

Alexeev led the rush across the left circle, held up on a slap shot as Shane Hnidy dove by, then placed a pass across the crease to an open Lecavalier.

After falling behind, Atlanta tested Tampa Bay physically, especially when Marty St. Louis was slashed by Andy Sutton on a breakaway in the third period that prompted a fracas and game misconduct for Sutton.

Ruslan Fedotenko was floored for several moments by a Vitaly Vishnevski elbow on a no-call in the first, and Greg de Vries tangled with Craig during the third in a fight that resulted in two five-minute fighting penalties.

Atlanta (12-5-3) - which entered Saturday tied with Buffalo with a league-high 69 goals - was outshot 11-4 in the first period and 36-30 overall.

Marian Hossa's two goals (Steve Rucchin added the other in the game's final three minutes) gave him a league-high 15.

"We're not going to get too far ahead of ourselves, but we're getting the job done right now," Richards said.

First Period-1, Tampa Bay, Craig 6 (Boyle, Ranger), 17:55 (pp). Penalties-Hnidy, Atl (hooking), 5:05; St. Louis, Tam (holding), 8:15; Hossa, Atl (holding), 9:57; Sutton, Atl (slashing), 10:55; Sutton, Atl (holding), 13:47; Sim, Atl (holding), 17:45; Hossa, Atl (interference), 19:17.

Second Period-2, Tampa Bay, Boyle 1 (Kuba, Prospal), 4:58 (pp). 3, Tampa Bay, Richards 5, 12:26. 4, Tampa Bay, Lecavalier 10 (Alexeev, St. Louis), 15:29. 5, Atlanta, Hossa 14 (Metropolit, Kozlov), 19:28 (pp). Penalties-Larsen, Atl (holding), 4:15; Richardson, Tam (interference), 7:02; de Vries, Atl (hooking), 8:24; Ranger, Tam (stick holding), 15:57; Prospal, Tam (tripping), 18:22.

Third Period-6, Atlanta, Hossa 15 (Kozlov, Hnidy), 8:56. 7, Tampa Bay, Alexeev 6 (Richards, St. Louis), 13:23 (pp). 8, Atlanta, Rucchin 3 (Kozlov, Havelid), 17:16. Penalties-Fedotenko, Tam (roughing), 3:28; Holik, Atl (roughing), 3:28; Slater, Atl (hooking), 6:08; de Vries, Atl, major (fighting), 7:48; Craig, Tam, major (fighting), 7:48; Afanasenkov, Tam (high-sticking), 9:06; Sutton, Atl, misconduct (game misconduct, slashing major), 10:58. Missed Penalty Shot-St. Louis, Tam, 10:58 third. Shots on Goal-Atlanta 4-14-12-30. Tampa Bay 11-11-14-36. Power-play opportunities-Atlanta 1 of 5; Tampa Bay 3 of 11. Goalies-Atlanta, Lehtonen 9-5-3 (36 shots-31 saves). Tampa Bay, Holmqvist 4-2-0 (30-27). A-20,034 (19,758). T-2:20. Referees-Dan Marouelli, Chris Rooney. Linesmen-Pierre Racicot, Vaughan Rody.

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