Letdown in front of net

Holmqvist struggles, surrendering a three-goal lead as the Lightning's skid continues.

By DAMIAN CRISTODERO, Times Staff Writer
Published November 4, 2007

TAMPA - Lightning goaltender Johan Holmqvist did not sugarcoat what he knew was obvious.

He did not shrink from responsibility. He answered all questions after not answering on the ice.

"As a goalie, you need to make some key saves, and I didn't do that many tonight," Holm-qvist said. "You want to be there for the guys, and I wasn't. It was one of those nights."

It is difficult to imagine a more disheartening night as the Lightning fell 6-4 to the Thrashers on Saturday at the St. Pete Times Forum to extend its losing streak to five, the longest since a six-game streak in November 2005.

More frustrating: The Lightning was nicked for its first regulation loss at home despite an overwhelming territorial advantage. It had jump, a quick transition and outshot Atlanta 34-22 and 11-5 in the third period.

Tampa Bay (5-7-1) even held a 4-1 lead with 5:34 left in the second period when Brad Richards scored five on three for his sixth goal.

But Atlanta scored the next five, two in 61 seconds in the second to cut the lead to one, and three on five shots in the third.

That included Ilya Kovalchuk's empty-netter with 1:22 left that gave him 12 goals and his second straight hat trick, meaning Holmqvist allowed two goals on four shots.

"It's a tough one to eat," coach John Tortorella said.

"It's terrible," defenseman Shane O'Brien said. "It's the worst feeling as a hockey player when you're in one of these funks as a team. ... We have to figure it out. We have to figure it out in a hurry."

This was supposed to be the start.

After a three-game winless road trip, Tampa Bay seemed prepared to make a statement as it returned to a rink in which it was 5-0-1.

O'Brien's two first-period goals, his first in 77 games going back to November 2006 when he was with the Ducks, gave the Lightning a 2-1 lead.

Michel Ouellet scored, and by the time Richards scored, Vinny Lecavalier and Marty St. Louis had three assists each.

All Tampa Bay needed was for Holmqvist to hold the fort like Ondrej Pavelec, who in his third NHL game and first start was a rock during Atlanta's comeback.

Pavelec stopped all 11 shots he faced in the third period and stoned Lecavalier 6:55 in. Twenty-seven seconds later, Kovalchuk tied the score at 4.

"He made some great saves when he needed to," Thrashers center Eric Perrin said. "He was huge for us tonight."

Holmqvist, who generally has been solid, was less so.

There were defensive lapses. Lecavalier's errant pass led to Kovalchuk's shorthanded goal that made the score 4-2. Marian Hossa got past O'Brien before scoring to make it 4-3, and Pascal Dupuis was left alone in front of the net as he scored the winner with 2:08 left in the third.

But there also were chances for game-turning saves. Instead, the Lightning is 0-4-1 in its past five games.

"You can't let down," Holmqvist said. "You have to be ready for anything. They have some pretty good shooters, but that's nothing new. As a goalie, you have to come up with some key saves. I didn't do that tonight."

Just when the team needed him most.

[Last modified November 4, 2007, 01:35:48]