Lightning almost escapes overtime

Still, a point is a point as the Isles score on their second power play of the session.

By DAMIAN CRISTODERO, Times Staff Writer
Published December 9, 2007

Lightning goaltender Johan Holmqvist stops the Islanders' Sean Bergenheim from in close during the first period.
	[Dirk Shadd | Times]

TAMPA - All things considered, the Lightning will take the point.

Considering the way the team overcame one-goal deficits twice in the third period. Considering an opposing goaltender who made big save after big save.

Considering the freaky goal the Islanders scored. And considering Tampa Bay almost killed off four minutes of penalties in a five-minute overtime, the 3-2 loss Saturday night at the St. Pete Times Forum, and the point for a regulation tie, didn't seem so bad.

"I'm happy with the club as far as how they battled back," coach John Tortorella said. "I have no (complaints) here. We played hard and did a lot of good things."

That included two power-play goals by Brad Richards in the third period to wipe out deficits of 1-0 and 2-1. His second goal, his 10th, came with 6:21 remaining.

And it included goaltender Johan Holmqvist, who made 30 saves, seven in overtime, as Tampa Bay came within 17 seconds of killing off consecutive penalties to defenseman Filip Kuba for holding the stick and defenseman Paul Ranger for slashing.

Mike Sillinger's goal with 27.7 seconds left in the extra period was the winner. Rick DiPietro made 32 saves and stopped a couple of breakaways for the Islanders, who entered the game last in the Atlantic, having scored a league-low 60 goals and on an 0-4-1 streak.

The loss snapped a three-game winning streak for Tampa Bay (13-13-3), though the team earned seven of a possible eight points during a four-game homestand.

"My biggest fear, and I don't want to insult the players, but I always worry when you're at home for so long. Four games in a row, you just don't want them stale," Tortorella said.

"The first few shifts of the game, I knew our team was ready to play."

Still, killing off four consecutive minutes of a four-on-three disadvantage is a tall order.

"No comment," Ranger said when asked if he thought his slashing penalty on Sillinger, called by Dan O'Rourke, was warranted.

As for Kuba's penalty, called by Dan Marouelli and which replays showed was questionable, he said, "I don't know. I guess you have to be careful. It's as simple as that."

The Islanders took a 1-0 lead on Bill Guerin's freaky, strange goal with 7:51 left in the second period.

It began with Mike Comrie barely winning a faceoff from Richards in the Lightning zone. Guerin, from near the top of the circle to Holmqvist's left, wristed the puck just as Tampa Bay's Jan Hlavac reached in with his stick.

The puck deflected and floated into the net, up and over a crouched Holmqvist, who never moved.

"I had no idea where the puck was," Holmqvist said of Guerin's first goal in 16 games. "I had to look on the big screen to see what happened."

The Lightning tied it 3:51 into the third period with Richards' shot from the point.

The Islanders went ahead with 9:15 left on Andy Hilbert's goal that came after Lightning defenseman Doug Janik coughed up the puck.

Richards' second goal came during a five-on-three power play.

[Last modified December 9, 2007, 00:17:58]