Lightning-Devils season series

By Eduardo A. Encina
Published April 12, 2007

Lightning 3, Devils 2 (Jan. 18) 

What happened: Brad Richards scored Tampa Bay's two regulation goals and was the only scorer in the three-round shootout, beating Martin Brodeur with a crisp forehand shot. It was the Lightning's fifth win in six games as it rebounded from a disappointing home loss to Toronto.

Key play: Down 1-0, Paul Ranger's 125-foot pass from the Lightning goal line to the Devils blue line set up Richards' tying goal 4:07 into the second.

Key stat: Johan Holmqvist, who allowed two sloppy goals in regulation, won his third shootout and remained perfect on 13 shots.

Quotable: "The biggest win of the year." - Richards on beating a team that entered 10-2-2 in its past 14 games

Devils 2, Lightning 0 (Jan. 26) 

What happened: Despite doubling New Jersey's scoring chances, killing all four power plays and winning 60 percent of faceoffs, Tampa Bay couldn't solve Martin Brodeur. The Devils won their fifth straight on the road, and it was Brodeur's 30th victory.

Key play: The Devils goaltender made 28 saves, including two in an 11-second stretch of the third period. Brodeur made a glove save on Vinny Prospal then stopped Dan Boyle in front of the net, preserving a 1-0 lead.

Key stat: The Lightning had 17 giveaways.

Quotable: "(Brodeur) was the difference in the game. We played a good game, but we couldn't beat the goalie." - Lightning coach John Tortorella

 Lightning 4, Devils 1 (Feb. 11)

What happened: After three games apart, the "MVP" line of Marty St. Louis, Vinny Lecavalier and Vinny Prospal were reunited and combined for six points. Lecavalier had three, his league-leading 35th goal and two assists. Johan Holmqvist, pulled in his previous game, won his 10th game in 12 starts for his 20th victory.

Key play: Fourth-liner Nick Tarnasky's third career goal, which deflected in off Martin Brodeur after he chased down the puck behind the net, gave the Lightning a 2-1 lead with 2:36 left in the second period.

Key stat: The Lightning was outshot 9-3 over the first 15:53 but had a 24-13 advantage from there thanks to aggressive forechecking.

Quotable: "You break up a line and you put them back together, there's an excitement back. There's a willingness to communicate again. ... To make plays by feel, you need to talk after shifts. You need to talk on the ice. When you play together day after day, you lose some of that. You need a wake-up call." - Lightning associate coach Craig Ramsay

Lightning 3, Devils 1 (March 22)

What happened: Marty St. Louis scored two third-period goals to give the Lightning a much-needed win in the playoff hunt. Marc Denis, starting in place of a sick Johan Holmqvist, stopped 34 of 35 shots. The win put Tampa Bay just two points behind Atlanta for the Southeast Division lead.

Key play: Eric Perrin stole a pass in the neutral zone and fed St. Louis for his career-high 40th goal 9:42 into the third. St. Louis had gone eight games without a goal.

Key stat: The Lightning won despite being 0-for-4 on the power play and ended the game one for its past 18.

Quotable: "We felt we had 19 days, and that was our season. Nineteen days, nine games. We're not looking above us or below us. We're just trying to concentrate on ourselves." - Lightning coach John Tortorella on starting the final nine games of the regular season 2-0

[Last modified April 11, 2007, 20:22:35]