Even Schwab can't save Lightning

By TIM BUCKLEY

©St. Petersburg Times, published October 11, 1997

DETROIT -- Corey Schwab couldn't do it alone.

He tried, and darn near did.

But with no offensive support from a team averaging three goals, the Lightning backup goalie wound up the loser as Detroit beat Tampa Bay 3-0 before 19,983 at Joe Louis Arena on Friday night.

The Red Wings (4-0-0) got by mostly on a second-period goal from Joe Kocur, and the goaltending of Chris Osgood, who turned away 29 shots from a Tampa Bay team that just couldn't crack the defending Stanley Cup champions.

A third-period power-play goal by Igor Larionov served as insurance, and an empty-netter by Darren McCarty with 26.7 seconds to go was padding on top of Osgood's 15th career NHL shutout.

The Lightning (2-2-1) came to Hockeytown beaming with confidence, unbeaten in three of its first four games and fresh off a 4-1 victory at Chicago on Thursday.

But it couldn't convert poise into points, primarily because the only man on the ice who played better than Schwab was Osgood.

Schwab got the surprise call over No. 1 goalie Daren Puppa, who told coaches he was a tad tired but otherwise ready and willing to go after stopping 24 of 25 shots against the Blackhawks.

The Lightning opted to go with Schwab, who saw his first action since a Sept. 24 preseason game at Dallas.

And in this -- the second half of the first of 19 sets of back-to-back games for Tampa Bay -- Schwab showed he can be counted on whenever the coaches come calling again.

He had 10 saves in a scoreless opening period, turning away a shot-and-rebound sequence from Bob Rouse and McCarty, a slapper by Larry Murphy followed by spinning backhander in the slot from Brent Gilchrist, and a Doug Brown shot that required a sprawling save.

Schwab even had some help from the horn, which sounded to signal the end of the period just as Steve Yzerman was winding up for a blast from the high slot.

But Schwab didn't get much help from his goal-scoring friends -- despite the best efforts of everyone from Alex Selivanov, who missed the net twice, to Cory Cross, who hit the post with a slap shot from the left point.

And half a minute after Osgood caught a break on the shot by Cross, Detroit broke the tie with the goal by Kocur.

The 14-season veteran was out of the NHL and playing in a beer league at this time last year.

But when Kocur went to the slot unchecked and found himself with more time to shoot than he would in most beer leagues, he was able to dig the puck out of his skates, turn and -- still untouched -- shoot from the top of the crease. Schwab got a piece of the puck, but it snuck through his pads to give the Red Wings the only goal they would need.

The final period was more of the same seen in the first: great goaltending on both ends.

Schwab bailed out Tampa Bay early in the third, stopping Brown on a two-on-one that was just one of many odd-man rushes for the Red Wings and later sticking out a pad to turn away a slap shot from the point by Aaron Ward. He did it midway through the third, too, poking the puck with his stick to stop another chance by Brown.

Larionov finally got to Schwab, camping out on the corner of the crease to stop a Nicklas Lidstrom slap shot with his stick and tuck it in on his backhand during a power play at 11:35 of the third.

Schwab's work and even Larionov's goal, though, was overshadowed by the effort from Osgood, who stood steady as the Lightning pounded him during two power plays before the period was half done. He frustrated Tampa Bay shooters time and again, especially ex-Red Wing Dino Ciccarelli.

Tampa Bay 0 0 0-0 Detroit 0 1 2-3

FIRST PERIO Scoring

None

Penalties

Cross, TB (interference), 13:50; Fetisov, Det (holding), 15:47

SECOND PERIOD Scoring

DET: Kocur 1 (Gilchrist) 4:21. Kocur flies through low slot untouched, digs puck out of skates in front of net, turns and scores with shot that is partially blocked but still gets through Schwab's pads. Red Wings lead 1-0

Penalties

Wiemer, TB (elbowing), 16:37; Gilchrist, Det (cross-checking), 19:40

THIRD PERIOD Scoring

DET: Larionov 1 (Lidstrom, Murphy), 11:35 pp. Larionov, camped at the crease to Schwab's right and behind the Lightning goalie, stops Lidstrom's slap shot from the left point with his stick and stuffs the puck in on his backhand. Red Wings lead 2-0

DET: McCarty 1 (Shanahan), 19:43 en. McCarty scores into empty net. Red Wings win 3-0.

Penalties

Ward, Det (interference), 6:22; Dykhuis, TB (holding), 9:56

SHOTS ON GOAL Tampa Bay 10 9 10-29

Detroit 10 12 14-3

Power-play opportunities -- Tampa Bay 0 of 3; Detroit 1 of 3. Goalies -- Tampa Bay, Schwab 0-1-0 (35 shots-33 saves). Detroit, Osgood 4-0-0 (29-29). Attendance -- 19,983 (19,983). Referee -- Don Koharski. Linesmen -- Dan Schachte, Andy McElman