Young goalie avoids a setback

By DAMIAN CRISTODERO and EDUARDO ENCINA, Times Staff Writers
Published December 7, 2007

ADVERTISEMENT In his first game back from injury, Karri Ramo hurt his back but expects to play today. [Tampa Bay Lightning]

TAMPA - It has been a difficult couple of months for Karri Ramo.

Saturday, the goaltender for AHL Norfolk played his first game since Oct. 5, when he sustained a high ankle sprain. But he tweaked his back when he slid into a teammate and sat out Sunday.

Not to worry, Norfolk general manager Claude Loiselle said. The ankle is "100 percent," the back is "nothing" and Ramo, 21, whom the club believes is close to NHL ready, is expected to play today.

"He's solid," Loiselle said Thursday. "Speaking with (Norfolk coach) Steve Stirling, he had a great practice and is ready to go."

While Ramo seems on schedule, the organization took steps to get defenseman Andy Rogers back on track, sending him from Norfolk to Mississippi of the lower-level ECHL. The Lightning's 2004 first-round draft pick played in just 11 of the Admirals' 24 games.

He has played in just 69 over the previous two seasons because of ankle and hip injuries. Loiselle said he expects Rogers will play 25-30 minutes with Mississippi.

"He's been in and out of the lineup," Loiselle said. "The best thing for him to do right now is to play. It's just a matter of getting his confidence back."

For Ramo, 21, it's a matter of reconditioning. Loiselle said the goalie ran out of gas Saturday, stopping 17 of 18 first-period shots but eventually allowing seven goals on 33 shots.

Loiselle said the work was one reason Ramo sat out Sunday: "He was exhausted."

THIRD-PERIOD TROUBLES: The Lightning on Tuesday escaped after blowing a two-goal, third-period lead for the third time in the past two weeks, getting two points in a shootout win over Ottawa. But coach John Tortorella said the collapses are partly because of the youth on defense.

"We need to get better at it, and that's just about protecting the puck," he said. "I'm not putting it all on them. It's the whole team, but it starts on the back end as far as making a play and not giving it to the other team."

Center Brad Richards said penalties hurt the Lightning in a loss Nov. 19 to Atlanta, the team "just froze" in a loss Nov. 23 at Carolina and Ottawa's late surge was characteristic of the best team in the Eastern Conference.

"There's no carbon copy of what's happened," he said. "We did make mistakes, and sometimes you make those mistakes and it bounces the other way. We've talked about it, and we've addressed it. The bottom line is we found a way to win (Tuesday)."

ODDS AND ENDS: Forward Craig MacDonald was a healthy scratch. ... The Lightning has outscored the Hurricanes 10-0 in the second period.

[Last modified December 7, 2007, 00:08:05]