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Beating Habs a growing habit

The Lightning defeats the Canadiens for the second time in five days on Lecavalier's goal.

[AP photo] Lightning goalie Kevin Weekes stops a shot from the Canadiens' Sergei Zholtok in the second period. Weekes stopped 34 shots.

By DAMIAN CRISTODERO

© St. Petersburg Times, published November 15, 2000

MONTREAL -- The boos did not just float down from the Molson Centre rafters Tuesday night, they charged to the ice with a great roar.

The Lightning had just beaten the Canadiens 1-0 -- Tampa Bay's second victory over Montreal in five days -- and those left from a crowd of 19,052 were letting the home team have it.

"That's when you know you're doing something right," Lightning coach Steve Ludzik said.

Everything went right for the Lightning, which couldn't have scripted a better start to a tough three-game road trip that continues Friday at Toronto and ends in Dallas.

Kevin Weekes was technically correct in stopping 34 shots for his third career shutout and Tampa Bay's first on the road since October 1998.

Vinny Lecavalier, who grew up in the Montreal suburb of Ile Bizard, scored the winner, his eighth goal of the season, 8:12 into the second period.

The penalty kill, which went into the game ranked 25th in the league, thwarted eight short-handed situations, including one after a charging call on defenseman Cory Sarich with 6:16 left.

Tampa Bay was all over Montreal in those crucial two minutes, and that's when the first boos filled the air.

And don't forget defenseman Pavel Kubina, who sprawled in the crease to stop Oleg Petrov's second-period shot after Weekes mishandled the puck in front of the net.

"I always wanted to be in goal," Kubina said.

The Lightning, which has won four of its past five games, reclaimed first place in the Southeast Division with 14 points.

The Canadiens have been shut out in consecutive games and have lost eight of nine.

"This is big," Weekes said. "This is a great environment to play in, one of the great hockey arenas in the world. As young guys we have to relish that chance. This is where dreams are made of."

"The no-names do it again to the Montreal big-names," Ludzik said.

The coach was referring to comments made by Montreal defenseman Patrice Brisebois, who called Tampa Bay "no-names" after the Lightning beat the Canadiens 3-1 on Friday at the Ice Palace.

As if that wasn't motivation enough, Ludzik reminded his players that Montreal is dangerous on its home ice.

"We really got Montreal at a dangerous time," Ludzik said. "They're taking heat. The coach (Alain Vigneault) is giving them heat. Their players will play an aggressive game."

Montreal outshot the Lightning 34-23 and spent 27:32 in the Lightning zone. With that kind of pressure, Weekes, who made his 10th consecutive start and has played in 13 of Tampa Bay's past 14 games, had to be sharp.

The high point came with 10:23 remaining when Weekes' glove save robbed defenseman Craig Rivet, who was charging down the slot a step ahead of the defense.

"The guy that deserves the credit is Kevin Weekes," Lecavalier said. "He played so good."

Lecavalier did his part, taking a perfectly placed -- though blind -- off the boards, spin-o-rama pass from Todd Warriner, deking Canadiens goaltender Jose Theodore to the right and scoring back to the left.

It looked pretty, but replays revealed Lecavalier did not get his stick on the puck when he brought it to his backhand to make the final shot. Nevertheless, the puck snuck inside the post.

The announcement of the goal brought the biggest cheer of the night.

"Very flattering," Lecavalier said.

And another slap in the face to a proud franchise.

"You've got to give them credit," Vigneault said. "That Tampa Bay team worked hard and played well. We tried to match that with our skill and work ethic, and came up short."

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