Lightning seeks amnesia after rout

With playoff hopes on the line, Tampa Bay wants to forget "embarrassing" loss to Capitals.

By EDUARDO A. ENCINA
Published March 19, 2007

ADVERTISEMENT [AP Photo] Goalie Johan Holmqvist, who gave up four goals, watches after the puck and defenseman Shane O'Brien slide into the net during the third period.

WASHINGTON - Out of the Lightning's three remaining regular-season road games, this was the easy one.

This was supposed to be the game in which Tampa Bay - with just 10 remaining - had the best opportunity to help its playoff chances away from home while playing against the team with the second-fewest points in the Eastern Conference.

So much for a sense of urgency. All the Lightning could do after a 7-1 loss to the Capitals on Sunday was forget everything having to do with the game just played.

"We were just waiting for somebody to do something instead of taking it on our own," forward Marty St. Louis said. "We were watching, waiting. That's why they looked like the Globetrotters out there.

"It's embarrassing."

The team that showed up at the Verizon Center hardly looked like the playoff-caliber team the Lightning had become during the past 2 1/2 months. It fell behind 5-0 by the 8:18 mark in the second period. Neither starter Johan Holmqvist nor Marc Denis could stop the onslaught as coach John Tortorella shuffled his goalies in and out.

"This has to be out of our minds in the next 10 minutes," forward Brad Richards said. "It's like playoffs right now. When you win you forget and when you lose you forget. It's day by day. We've got to realize what we did, and we can't come out like that again. ... This isn't our team. This isn't how we play."

The Lightning (39-30-4) dropped its fifth game in its past seven and its third straight for the first time since mid December. The six-goal margin was its largest this season.

Southeast Division-leading Atlanta, meanwhile, distanced itself with a 4-3 overtime win against Buffalo, giving the Thrashers a six-point lead over the Lightning for a top-three seed.

Although the Lightning sits sixth in the conference with 82 points, only four points separate Tampa Bay from the Islanders, Maple Leafs and Canadiens, the ninth, 10th and 11th teams, respectively, in the conference.

Now the Lightning needs to put its worst effort of the season past it, a hard task, St. Louis said.

"I'd love to have amnesia," he said. "With these early games, though, bedtime is far. You can chew on it for a while. ... It's easier said than done."

Washington, out of the playoff race, relished the role of spoiler two nights after beating Toronto, another team fighting for a playoff spot, by four goals.

Tomas Fleischmann scored two goals in the first against Holmqvist, and Alexander Semin then had a natural hat trick, his second career three-goal game.

After Fleischmann's two goals, the first of which came on a breakaway after he took the puck from defenseman Dan Boyle on the boards at 5:31, Holmqvist was pulled for Denis. But Denis allowed goals on Washington's first three shots of the second period, all by Semin.

Eric Perrin was called for holding 37 seconds into the period, giving the Capitals a power play that Semin capitalized on 37 seconds later with a slap shot from above the left circle for his first goal.

After Semin's third goal, a wrister off his back foot that ended up in the top corner of the goal at 8:18, Holmqvist returned.

Filip Kuba scored the Lightning's only goal, a one-timer from the point that beat Olaf Kolzig glove side at 17:44 in the second period.

Now the Lightning returns for a four-game homestand, including three against teams in the conference's top nine, starting Tuesday against the Islanders.

"We're already thinking about the Islanders, and that's the way you have to go about it," Tortorella said. "We're not going to overanalyze. I think these games, it may sound a little silly, but it may be a blessing sometimes to just to put things in perspective as far as where we are as a hockey club.

"Maybe it's a good time for this as we go into our stretch run."

First Period-1, Washington, Fleischmann 3 (Gordon), 5:31. 2, Washington, Fleischmann 4 (Beech, Jurcina), 13:38. Penalty-Eminger, Was (holding), 10:30.

Second Period-3, Washington, Semin 35 (Clark, Pothier), 1:14 (pp). 4, Washington, Semin 36 (Fleischmann), 6:45. 5, Washington, Semin 37 (Beech, Bradley), 8:18. 6, Tampa Bay, Kuba 11 (Janik, Tarnasky), 17:44. Penalties-Perrin, TB (holding), :37; Pothier, Was (hooking), 11:34; Boyle, TB (holding), 12:24; Bradley, Was, major (fighting), 17:15; O'Brien, TB, major (fighting), 17:15.

Third Period-7, Washington, Giroux 2, 10:34. 8, Washington, Gordon 5 (Fleischmann, Morrisonn), 17:55. Penalties-Clymer, Was (hooking), 3:12; Sarich, TB (holding), 16:16; Semin, Was (diving), 16:16. Shots on Goal-Tampa Bay 9-11-11-31. Washington 15-6-8-29. Power-play opportunities-Tampa Bay 0 of 3; Washington 1 of 2. Goalies-Tampa Bay, Holmqvist 23-14-2 (13 shots-11 saves), Denis (16:39 first, 5-2), Holmqvist (8:18 second, 11-9). Washington, Kolzig 21-19-6 (31-30). A-14,274 (18,277). T-2:23. Referees-Greg Kimmerly, Don Van Massenhoven. Linesmen-Brad Kovachik, Jean Morin.

Capitals 7

Lightning 1

. up next

Lightning vs. Islanders

7:30 Tuesday, St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa

TV/radio: Sun; 620-AM

[Last modified March 19, 2007, 00:16:12]