Lightning loses in OT but moves into first

Fortunate to get it, one point is enough to surpass Atlanta.

By DAMIAN CRISTODERO
Published February 18, 2007

SUNRISE - The Lightning deserved to lose Saturday night's game with the Panthers.

Sloppy play, shaky goaltending, foolish penalties, three third-period shots in which Tampa Bay gave up a one-goal lead, all added up to a 5-4 overtime loss at the BankAtlantic Center.

The silver lining is the Lightning, with a point for a regulation tie, climbed past the Thrashers into first place in the Southeast Division.

Tampa Bay (33-24-3) and Atlanta (30-22-9) have 69 points, but the Lightning, because it has played one fewer game and has more wins, is officially on top.

Still, Tampa Bay could not find a gear and took consecutive penalties in the third period, Filip Kuba for slashing and Doug Janik for hooking.

Ville Peltonen scored with 8:49 left in the third period with Janik in the penalty box to tie the score 4-4.

Nathan Horton scored 29 seconds into overtime to snap Tampa Bay's three-game winning streak.

Referees Dan O'Halloran and Kelly Southerland were terrific at calling touch fouls during the game but missed a knee from Florida' Bryan Allen that sent Ruslan Fedotenko to the locker room with a charley horse with 29.8 seconds left in the third period. He is day to day.

The Lightning took a 4-3 lead with Dan Boyle's 13th goal with 8:49 left in the second period.

Marty St. Louis scored two of Tampa Bay's three first-period goals that overcame a two-goal advantage Florida built in the game's first 4:02.

Vinny Lecavalier assisted on both and has 80 points, two more than his previous career best.

Eric Perrin scored. Vinny Prospal had two assists, but goaltender Johan Holmqvist was not sharp and allowed five goals on 30 shots.

The Lightning fell behind 2-0 in the first period but roared back with three goals in 10:19.

Florida scored on the power play at 1:47 when Ruslan Salei's point shot got through a screen. Stephen Weiss made it 2-0 with a breakaway goal sparked when Boyle fell down in the defensive zone.

But Tampa Bay stormed back.

St. Louis scored at 6:09 on a one-timer from the left of goalie Ed Belfour to finish off a nice passing show from Lecavalier and Prospal.

Perrin scored his 10th on a terrific backhander with 8:57 remaining after deking a defender.

St. Louis scored his 35th goal with 3:32 left by pouncing on a rebound of Boyle's point shot. The defenseman got the puck after good work by Lecavalier behind the net.

Allen tied the score 3-3 for Florida 6:48 into the second period with a wrist shot from near the blue line.

The play began when Holmqvist clumsily played the puck behind the net and created a scoring chance.

First Period-1, Florida, Salei 6, 1:47 (pp). 2, Florida, Weiss 12 (Horton, Gelinas), 4:02. 3, Tampa Bay, St. Louis 34 (Prospal, Lecavalier), 6:09. 4, Tampa Bay, Perrin 10 (Richards), 11:03. 5, Tampa Bay, St. Louis 35 (Boyle, Lecavalier), 16:28. Penalties-Ranger, TB (delay of game), :15; Kuba, TB (holding), 12:54.

Second Period-6, Florida, Allen 2 (Weiss, Gelinas), 6:48. 7, Tampa Bay, Boyle 13 (Perrin, Prospal), 11:11 (pp). Penalties-Tarnasky, TB, major (fighting), 7:48; Montador, Fla, major (fighting), 7:48; Florida bench, served by Gelinas (too many men), 9:30; Semenov, Fla (hooking), 12:00; Semenov, Fla, major (fighting), 16:26; Roy, TB, minor-major (fighting, cross-checking), 16:26.

Third Period-8, Florida, Peltonen 10 (Jokinen, Montador), 11:28 (pp). Penalties-Kuba, TB (slashing), 8:59; Janik, TB (hooking), 11:06; Horton, Fla (slashing), 16:34; Kuba, TB (slashing), 16:34.

Overtime-9, Florida, Horton 19 (Bouwmeester, Weiss), :29. Penalties-None. Shots on Goal-Tampa Bay 9-8-3-0-20. Florida 7-12-9-2-30. Power-play opportunities-Tampa Bay 1 of 2; Florida 2 of 5. Goalies-Tampa Bay, Holmqvist 21-11-1 (30 shots-25 saves). Florida, Belfour 16-13-6 (20-16). A-17,813 (19,250). T-2:24. Referees-Dan O'Halloran, Kelly Sutherland. Linesmen-Thor Nelson, Anthony Sericolo.

Panthers5

Lightning4

Overtime

[Last modified February 18, 2007, 07:27:41]