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Players revel in winning feeling

By DAMIAN CRISTODERO

© St. Petersburg Times, published February 22, 2001

SADDLEBROOK -- Lightning players were on Cloud 9 after Tuesday night's 3-2 victory over the Blues at the Ice Palace.

Wednesday, the talk was of remembering how good that felt.

"And remembering," center forward Brian Holzinger said, "what it takes to come out with that kind of victory."

The players have three days to enjoy the victory that snapped Tampa Bay's seven-game losing streak before facing the Flyers on Saturday in Philadelphia.

Wednesday was spent at Saddlebrook Resort at a charity golf event. But the victory over St. Louis was on the tips of everyone's tongues.

"They're one of the best teams in the league and they're going to vie for a Stanley Cup championship," Holzinger said. "Sure, they were missing a few key players but that was still a pretty good win.

"Now it's up to us to roll with it and carry that confidence on for when we face Philadelphia."

What was most interesting about the victory over the league's No. 2 team is that it came just two days after a disappointing loss to the Predators, who are two games under .500.

"With any team coming in, if you don't come to play it could end up six, seven, eight, 10 to nothing," Holzinger said. "There's so much parity in the league right now, if you don't come to play, you don't win."

Said Todd Warriner: "Any team on any night can rally and gain momentum on another team. That's what we did against the Blues."

TALK BACK: Coach John Tortorella had individual meetings with players Monday. One he tried to convince to take a greater leadership role is Jassen Cullimore.

He has been Tampa Bay's best defenseman this season and his games against the Predators and Blues were two of his best. Against Nashville, Cullimore was 12-2 in one-on-one battles for the puck.

"He has earned the right to say whatever he wants in that locker room," Tortorella said.

But Cullimore isn't sure that's what is needed -- from him, anyway.

"I think we're at a point in time when everything has been said and we just have to go out there and do it," Cullimore said. THEN AGAIN: Cullimore didn't shy away from responding to an observation by his coach. Tortorella said, "The biggest problem I have with some people in our locker room is that they feel that they are doing the job. But they are not."

Said Cullimore: "I don't think any player in this league should go into a game thinking, "I should just go out there.' It's a matter of pride. The thing right now is to get everyone doing it. There are 21 games left. A lot can be done in 21 games."

ODDS AND ENDS: Vinny Lecavalier's assist on Warriner's first goal Tuesday night was his 133rd point, tying Petr Klima for sixth on the team. ... Forward Ryan Johnson is minus-15 in his past 20 games.

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