Defensive play pleases coach

By Eduardo A. Encina, Times Staff Writer
Published February 24, 2008

TAMPA - Even though the Lightning came away with just one point in its two-game road trip to Buffalo and Long Island, coach John Tortorella has been pleased with the team's defensive play.

The goaltending has done its part. Johan Holmqvist, who entered Saturday with a 2.63 goals-against average in his past 12 starts, made a season-high 42 saves against the Sabres. And rookie Karri Ramo stopped 27 of 28 shots against the Islanders.

The Lightning also blocked 29 shots.

"If you look at our Stanley Cup year, we blocked anything that was shot," Tortorella said. "And you look at the teams in the playoffs and where they went; you look at their shot blocking, and that's a key component to their winning. I think our guys have done a pretty good job of that."

Tortorella said he believes he has found the right formula, starting Holmqvist for no more than three consecutive games. But an adjustment of allowing the young defensemen to stay in front of the puck on opposing rushes has been the key, the coach said.

"We've been playing better defense," Holmqvist said. "That makes it easier for everybody. We can't have so many turnovers and two-on-ones and breakaways. If we take care of our defense, the offense is going to come."

LOOKING UP: Even though the Lightning entered its game 12 points behind first-place Carolina in the Southeast, Tortorella said he believes it still has hope of making the postseason.

"Come Tuesday, who knows what we have here," he said of the 3 p.m. trade deadline. "Maybe nothing will happen, and maybe a ton will happen. I don't know.

"We've made our own bed. We haven't won enough, and we've put ourselves in the situation where maybe we become sellers. We win a few games, and something happens. Maybe things change."

FEWER DEFENSEMEN: Already short-handed on defense with Brad Lukowich out, the Lightning went with five defensemen Saturday, leaving Doug Janik as a healthy scratch. Janik hasn't played well in limited minutes over the past five games (his 5:15 of ice time Thursday was his most in a month).

And Tortorella wanted to use both Andreas Karlsson, whose play on the penalty kill has added a lot, and Andre Roy, giving him a chance to play out of the doghouse.

ODDS AND ENDS: Mathieu Darche's first-period goal, which came short-handed, was his first in 32 games. ... Lukowich's unconventional hernia surgery in Germany was successful. He is expected to return to Tampa today and miss 3-4 weeks compared with 6-8 with conventional surgery.

[Last modified February 23, 2008, 23:23:12]