Tampa, Florida					Monday, September 06, 2010

Lightning and Sabres Put on a New Kind of a NHL Show
Friday, October 14, 2005
TAMPA—Now that was generally what the decision-makers of the National Hockey League had in mind when they changed the rules prior to this season. They wanted more scoring, more breakaways, more action and less standing around during timeouts, less offsides, more shots on goals making the tenders hustle more in those roles and not as an additional player, overtime games and finishes on the last-resort penalty shots and, hey, no ties. They got all that in the compelling 4-3 overtime, penalty-shot deciding win by Buffalo over Tampa Bay on the Lightning home ice at the St. Pete Times Forum Thursday night. And they got a sellout crowd in excess of 20,000 to see it, right down to the final blocked penalty shot of Brad Richards shot by brilliant goalie Ryan Miller. And, since it was in Tampa the only thing missing in the game well, the Lightning winning for the fourth straight time in Tampa, and, of a closing one-line commentary by the Star Wars fellow who declares: “Brilliant!’’ No, wait, there were rumblings from some who did not think the penalty shots with a shooter on a tender as in a breakaway, only two players dueling out there to gain a decision for the entire squads who had played so long and so hard was equitable. The doubters wanted the teams to play on and on and on to the team score. But, either way, each got a point in the standings for forcing the overtime, and then the winner another for, well, the win. So, there, surely it was a game to be remembered changing the rules to make the game more wide open. Friday night in Tampa, was a gripping example. The 4-3 Buffalo win could very easily have been a Lightning win. Both had more scoring opportunities. Both goalies, Miller of Buffalo and John Grahame of Tampa, were outstanding. It’s results show the closeness: Tampa had 35 shots at Miller on goal, and 32 saves, while Grahame faced 33 shots and had 30 saves. The Lightning had nine power plays (man down for the Sabres) attempted by Buffalo and turned them all away, a heckuva statistic. The Lightning had only two power plays, but got nothing out of them. Also, missed chances by the Lightning included breakaway shots by two of their stars of last year, Martin St. Louis and Brad Richards. St. Louis and Richards also were blanked in their single penalty shots. See, under the new rules, a tie goes to a four-on-four, players tender, for six minutes. If still tied, teams go to a three individual penalty shots, one a time, of course. Daniel Breire, perhaps the fastest of the Sabres, who had a great all-around night, was up first, swept down singly with the puck from center-ice and lifted the puck over Lightning goalie Grahame’s shoulder for the 1-lead up. A confident St. Louis, a crowd favorite, had his penalty shot blocked by Buffalo’s Miller. Buffalo 1, Lightning 0. Thomas Vanek swooped towards Grahame, starting because longtime Tampa goalie, and a world-class tender, Nikolai Khabibulin departed for Chicago,and slammed the puck past Graham again. Buffalo 2, Lightning 0 Then, it was up to Richards, a hero of the Stanley	Cup, to hit a penalty shot to keep the Lightning in the game. He too took the puck and stick with confidence and headed goalward towards the youthful Miller, who had a hot stick. Miller stuffed the shot. No more were necessary. The Buffalo lead was 2-0 of the 2 of 3 circumstance and that was that. The Sabres had a fifth win, which is surprising, and a 4-1 record in their division. The Lightning had a second loss and are 2-2 and still just fine. St. Louis was not the least discouraged. He said they learned and they should have. He acknowledged he did not have the best of nights. “I’m surprised at the passes the Lighting had blocked early,’’ after being struck. Most felt the Bolts were had only a couple of lapses, by many, from the win. Many thought the penalties were too much. Many thought the offense was vastly improved, the defense, well, it could have been better. Most thought Buffalo played a smidgen better, especially Briere, a fast son-of-a-gun. Many thought the Lightning did not deserve to lose, but neither did Buffalo. Still Buffalo got a couple of big breaks. A Shot from near centerline goalward by Maxim Afinogenov of Buffalo had not a chance of scoring, until a Lightning player who had stuck a hand up to intercept the shot had the puck deflect off his glove and into the net behind a surprised Grahame. Also, the officiating got many knocks, particularly from the Lightning folk. Nine penalties to two? But, overall, the Lightning got better, even in defeat. They seem to have played with more grit, not always seen in the previous games after becoming world champs. Has to be a heady experience. It surly is an additional burden. Who doesn’t want to knock off the champs? Yep, “we’re targets,’’ said one Lightning recently. They were certainly in Buffalo’s sights. And now with Buffalo the creators of the new NHL experience as the rule-changers wanted. But, they need to polish up—and bet they will for Coach John Tortorella. And Gahame needs more net-time against the penalty shot. Be he will, for Tortorella. The coach said the Lightning of 04 would not have made it at all without the great playoffs play of Khabibulin. No one disagrees with that. The champs got better against Buffalo. But, they are not good enough to win it all again yet. Now they take their shot on the road for a series of games and to show the game now as the rule changers and the NHL wants to see it played. However, it will be as engaging with Lightning wins. And a nice birthday present for their boss, President Ron Campbell. Not sure how old is, except older than he was by the calendar and older than he was on the Lightning age scoreboard, after Friday in the Forum. And by the way, the great crowd, getting more knowledgeable about this sport so recently a novelty hereabouts, was into it all the way, and as disappointed as football fans leaving Raymond James after an occasional loss when their team on the ice the were beaten in a manner new in NHL history—the penalty show taught here earlier by the Tampa Bay Rowdies and Mutiny. ##
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