Coach: We're getting in

Despite another frustrating loss, Tortorella guarantees his team will make the playoffs.

By DAMIAN CRISTODERO
Published March 28, 2007

ADVERTISEMENT [Times photo: Dirk Shadd] Vinny Lecavalier gets stopped by Florida Panthers goalie Ed Belfour during the first period on Tuesday.

TAMPA - The Lightning is down, no doubt about it.

You could see it in their faces, you could hear it in their voices after a 5-2 loss to the Panthers on Tuesday night at the St. Pete Times Forum.

Players spoke of "anger" and "frustration" and what the heck it will take to stop the slow, torturous erosion of their playoff position.

But coach John Tortorella said his team was anything but out. In fact, he guaranteed Tampa Bay will make the playoffs.

"We're getting in. We are going to get in," he said. "We're going around the block is the best way to put it. But we're going to get in. You can write that. It is a guarantee."

Tortorella is kind of working without a net on this one.

The Lightning (41-32-4), losers of two straight and five of seven, is, with 86 points, tied with the Canadiens for seventh in the East, just two points ahead of the Hurricanes, Islanders and Maple Leafs, who are tied for ninth and out of the playoffs.

But talk about a top-to-bottom race: Tampa Bay remained just two points behind the Thrashers for first place in the Southeast.

Defenseman Dan Boyle, who for weeks has talked about catching Atlanta, said that with the regular season down to five games and the pressure mounting, perhaps it is time to forget about whom the Lightning is chasing and who is pursuing.

"We shouldn't focus on Atlanta or even making the playoffs," he said. "We just need to focus on winning a hockey game."

This one was close to the end as the Panthers scored two empty-net goals in the final minute, and even right wing Marty St. Louis said, "We played a lot better than the result."

So what happened?

A three-goal second by Florida that wiped out a 1-0 Lightning lead gained on Brad Richards' 25th goal 4:54 into the period and got goaltender Marc Denis pulled for the second straight game.

Denis' start was a surprise given his poor effort in Saturday's loss to the Senators. But his 3-2-1 record against Florida with a 1.82 goals-against average and .940 save percentage was a recommendation.

Stephen Weiss tied the score at 9:55 on a five-on-three power-play, and Nathan Horton's sketchy goal from an extreme angle made it 2-1 three minutes later.

After Olli Jokinen scored on a breakaway with 59 seconds left on a soft backhander between Denis' legs while being harassed from behind by defenseman Shane O'Brien, Johan Holmqvist started the third.

The Lightning cut its deficit to one with Filip Kuba's 13th goal, short-handed, 9:58 into the period. But many other chances were missed.

Vinny Lecavalier, still stuck on 49 goals, had seven shots. St. Louis hit a post with 5:51 remaining in the third, and Vinny Prospal missed an open net with 1:23 left. Eighteen missed the net.

"All those chances and nothing to show for it," Prospal said. "It's a tough road we're taking right now."

Tortorella agreed but reiterated his playoff guarantee: "We will get in. We'd like to go straight ahead instead of taking a left and going around the block. But we're going to get there."

First Period-None. Penalties-Horton, Fla (hooking), 6:58; Salei, Fla (hooking), 9:04; Bouwmeester, Fla (cross-checking), 9:44; St. Louis, TB (slashing), 9:44; Craig, TB (holding), 11:02.

Second Period-1, Tampa Bay, Richards 25 (Ward, Perrin), 4:54. 2, Florida, Weiss 20 (Jokinen, Salei), 10:05 (pp). 3, Florida, Horton 29 (Bouwmeester, Allen), 13:00. 4, Florida, Jokinen 37 (Horton, Bouwmeester), 19:01. Penalties-Taylor, TB (hooking), 8:18; Janik, TB (hooking), 9:19; Kolnik, Fla (holding), 16:39.

Third Period-5, Tampa Bay, Kuba 13 (St. Louis), 9:58 (sh). 6, Florida, Allen 3, 19:09 (en). 7, Florida, Horton 30 (Jokinen, Salei), 19:44 (en). Penalty-Janik, TB (tripping), 8:08. Shots on Goal-Florida 6-11-9-26. Tampa Bay 11-9-9-29. Power-play opportunities-Florida 1 of 4; Tampa Bay 0 of 3. Goalies-Florida, Belfour 25-17-9 (29 shots-27 saves). Tampa Bay, Denis 17-18-2 (17-14), Holmqvist (0:00 third, 7-7). A-18,856 (19,758). T-2:17. Referees-Tom Kowal, Brad Watson. Linesmen-Jonny Murray, Mark Pare.

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. up next

Lightning vs. Hurricanes, 7 Friday, RBC Center, Raleigh, N.C., Sun, 620-AM

[Last modified March 28, 2007, 05:40:31]