Dynamic duo helps prevent Lightning letdown

Lecavalier scores No. 51 and St. Louis No. 43 to keep pace in the East.

By DAMIAN CRISTODERO
Published April 1, 2007

TAMPA - There were many reasons for the Lightning to worry about Saturday night's game with the lowly Capitals.

Tampa Bay had won an emotional, physical game with the Hurricanes the night before, and Washington, despite its record, is one of the league's hardest-working teams and always plays the Lightning tough.

The Lightning was just a little tougher, earning a 5-2 victory at the St. Pete Times Forum.

Vinny Lecavalier scored his 51st goal and had two assists. Marty St. Louis scored his 43rd and had an assist to give him 101 points, seven more than during his 2003-04 MVP season.

Dan Boyle scored his 19th goal. Ryan Craig's 14th was his first in 18 games, and Jason Ward added an empty-netter.

Almost lost was another solid effort by goaltender Johan Holmqvist, who for the first time this season started on consecutive nights. He made 23 saves for his second straight win.

The Lightning (43-32-4 and with 90 points) won its second straight game and fourth of its past six to keep pace with the Southeast-leading Thrashers, who lead by three. Tampa Bay also maintained sixth in the East, three points ahead of the Maple Leafs, who beat the Penguins in overtime and are ninth and out of the postseason.

The Capitals have lost six straight overall and nine straight on the road.

The Lightning, which matched last season's win total, came out flying and pinned the Capitals in their zone for much of the game's first seven minutes. Lecavalier, who had not scored on 26 consecutive shots before getting his 50th on Friday, scored on his second straight shot when he scored on his first Saturday.

Lecavalier's goal, with assists from Paul Ranger and Boyle 36 seconds into the game, gave Tampa Bay a 1-0 lead.

The Lightning kept the pressure on. Lecavalier and St. Louis passed back and forth in the offensive zone before Lecavalier found Vinny Prospal charging the slot. Prospal took the pass in stride, and goalie Olaf Kolzig had to make a good left-leg save at 4:27.

Things began to change about seven minutes into the period as the Capitals found their legs and increased their forecheck. Holmqvist made his best save at 7:30, when he got his right leg on Brian Pothier's shot from the point and through a heavy screen.

Matt Pettinger scored for Washington with 8:44 remaining as the left wing was left alone in front of the net. Chris Clark's pass from behind the goal line was perfect, and Pettinger snapped the puck past Holmqvist to tie the score.

Tampa Bay regained the lead with 6:31 left on Craig's goal in which he stick-handled in the offensive zone to create some shooting space and fired past Kolzig.

Tampa Bay took a 3-1 lead with 1:55 remaining in the second on Boyle's power-play goal. St. Louis and Lecavalier got assists (it was St. Louis' 100th point), but it was Ward who kept the play going in the offensive zone with some dogged forechecking. Boyle, down low, pounced on a loose puck at the side of the net.

St. Louis' short-handed goal in the third period came after a two-on-one give-and-go with Lecavalier and made the score 4-1. Matt Bradley cut it to 4-2 with 53.5 seconds remaining before Ward sealed it.

First Period-1, Tampa Bay, Lecavalier 51 (Ranger, Boyle), :36. 2, Washington, Pettinger 16 (Clark, Gordon), 11:16. 3, Tampa Bay, Craig 14 (Karlsson, Sarich), 13:29. Penalties-Brashear, Was, major (fighting), 13:49; Roy, TB, major (fighting), 13:49.

Second Period-4, Tampa Bay, Boyle 19 (Lecavalier, St. Louis), 18:04 (pp). Penalties-Ward, TB (hooking), 1:03; Semin, Was (closing hand on puck), 16:13.

Third Period-5, Tampa Bay, St. Louis 43 (Lecavalier, Kuba), 7:35 (sh). 6, Washington, Bradley 4 (Klepis), 19:06. 7, Tampa Bay, Ward 7 (Prospal, Sarich), 19:58 (en). Penalties-Boyle, TB (hooking), 5:39; Bradley, Was, major (fighting), 11:30; Tarnasky, TB, major (fighting), 11:30; Gordon, Was (holding), 15:58. Shots on Goal-Washington 10-5-10-25. Tampa Bay 9-10-10-29. Power-play opportunities-Washington 0 of 2; Tampa Bay 1 of 2. Goalies-Washington, Kolzig 21-23-6 (28 shots-24 saves). Tampa Bay, Holmqvist 26-14-2 (25-23). A-20,064 (19,758). T-2:16. Referees-Paul Devorski, Rob Martell. Linesmen-Derek Amell, David Brisebois.

Lightning5

Capitals2

East playoff chase

Pts Wins GL

1. Sabres* 107 50 4

2. Penguins* 101 45 3

3. Thrashers* 93 41 3

4. Senators 102 47 3

5. Devils 100 46 4

6. Lightning 90 43 3

7. Rangers 89 40 4

8. Canadiens 88 41 3

9. Maple Leafs 87 38 4

10. Hurricanes 84 38 4

11. Islanders 84 36 4

[Last modified April 1, 2007, 00:26:51]