We should be used to the Lightning by now, but even by their standards the 12-game losing streak was beginning to look terminal. And then, out of nowhere, they find seven goals to beat the Capitals at home.
They still shipped four at their end, mind you, but a win is a win is a win. And guess who scored the go-ahead goal...
Yes, it was Martin St. Louis who came the Bolts' rescue yet again after his team had managed to blow a three-goal lead. His 250th career goal put Tampa Bay up 5-4 with 2:32 left in the second period to extend his point streak to 11 games.
This report from AP: 'Steven Stamkos had a pair of power-play goals as the Lightning took a 4-1 first-period lead. Vincent Lecavalier, Stephane Veilleux, Kurtis Foster and Halpern had the other Lightning goals. St. Louis added two assists.
'Washington, which lost to Tampa Bay for the first time since a 5-2 loss on Nov. 16, 2007, got two goals from Mike Green. Alexander Semin and Eric Fehr also scored for the Southeast Division leaders.
'Foster and Halpern extended the Lightning advantage to 7-4 in the third. Lecavalier and Stamkos put the Lightning up 2-0 midway through the first. After Semin scored at 14:05, Tampa Bay went up 4-1 when Stamkos got his 25th goal of the season and Veilleux scored his first goal in 23 games late in the period.
'Green had two power-play goals in the second, including one that tied it at 4 with 7:52 left in the period. Fehr also scored during the second.'
Well, we've said it before, we'll say it again, life is never dull following the Bolts. And in a sort of masochistic way, long may it continue.
To see footage of the game click here
Check out the very best in vacation rental properties in Anna Maria Island, a jewel of a place on the Florida Gulf Coast, at www.annamaria.com
Wednesday, 13 January 2010
Friday, 18 December 2009
Lighting shocking
Just when you thought it was safe to look, the Bolts do it again. Having started in some fine form, Tampa has slipped back to some recent bad habits, like throwing away leads and going on losing streaks of nightmarish proportions.
Here is Erik Erlendsson in the Tampa Bay Tribune telling it like it is.
Tampa Bay's season is dangerously close to dropping into oblivion again.
Tampa Bay's stretch of games with only one win reached 11 on Thursday after falling 3-0 to Detroit, dropping Tampa Bay's record to 1-12-1 all-time at Joe Louis Arena. The shutout loss is the fourth time in the past 10 games the Lightning have been kept off the board.
With four games complete on a season-long, six-game road trip, Tampa Bay is 0-3-1 and has been shut out twice.
The latest loss comes following a game in which Tampa Bay felt some momentum had been built up despite a 7-4 loss in Nashville. And it came against an undermanned Detroit team that featured seven regulars out of the lineup to start the game, a number that climbed to eight after a Mattias Ohlund hit knocked out Red Wings star Henrik Zetterberg in the first period.
Check out Erik's always excellent words of wisdom here
But the question remains: what are the Bolts going to do next?
Road trips to St Louis and New York might not yield much in the way of joy just yet. Let's just hope that the four straight home games they have before the start of 2010 will give us reason to be cheerful...
(We're not holding our breath)
Here is Erik Erlendsson in the Tampa Bay Tribune telling it like it is.
Tampa Bay's season is dangerously close to dropping into oblivion again.
Tampa Bay's stretch of games with only one win reached 11 on Thursday after falling 3-0 to Detroit, dropping Tampa Bay's record to 1-12-1 all-time at Joe Louis Arena. The shutout loss is the fourth time in the past 10 games the Lightning have been kept off the board.
With four games complete on a season-long, six-game road trip, Tampa Bay is 0-3-1 and has been shut out twice.
The latest loss comes following a game in which Tampa Bay felt some momentum had been built up despite a 7-4 loss in Nashville. And it came against an undermanned Detroit team that featured seven regulars out of the lineup to start the game, a number that climbed to eight after a Mattias Ohlund hit knocked out Red Wings star Henrik Zetterberg in the first period.
Check out Erik's always excellent words of wisdom here
But the question remains: what are the Bolts going to do next?
Road trips to St Louis and New York might not yield much in the way of joy just yet. Let's just hope that the four straight home games they have before the start of 2010 will give us reason to be cheerful...
(We're not holding our breath)
Friday, 27 November 2009
Bolts on film - looking great
Ahh, you know what, this is more like it. There weren't too many highlights from last season - in fact you'd have struggled to make a two-minute vid - but already we've got some great footage to enjoy from the Bolts.
Thanks to the guys at HockeyBay.com who have put it together. And, as is often the case, the very best is saved until last. Just check out the ridiculous goal from Stamkos if you haven't already seen it.
Go Bolts!
Thanks to the guys at HockeyBay.com who have put it together. And, as is often the case, the very best is saved until last. Just check out the ridiculous goal from Stamkos if you haven't already seen it.
Go Bolts!
Friday, 20 November 2009
Bolts making bright start
So, it's probably time we took a look at the Bolts, who are going steady if not great so far. But hey, anything's better than last season, right?
Last night the Lightning showed some impressive spirit (something that was never lacking) in coming back from three goals down to tie at Anaheim. Trouble is, they then lost in OT with the Ducks captain Scott Niedermayer scoring on the power-play goal 52 seconds into overtime for a 4-3 win. Jeff Halpern, Steven Stamkos and Martin St. Louis scored for the Lightning, and Malone and Steve Downie each had two assists.
The loss leaves Tampa (8-4-7) for the season on 23 points in the Southeastern Division, second behind Washington, on 30. Stamkos has 14 goals so far, and St Louis 15 assists, so the numbers are stacking up.
But as ever with the Bolts, it seems, the stats don't tell the whole story. The OT loss meant Lightning kept their streak of games without a regulation loss to seven and battled back from three goals down. That said, it meant a seventh overtime or shootout loss of the season for Tampa. But the Lightning have improved to 4-0-3 in the past seven games, 6-1-5 in the past 12 and are unbeaten in regulation (3-0-2) in their past five games on the road.
So actually, this far, it ain't all bad. Which is more than can be said for certain other Tampa Bay professional sports teams...
Come to Anna Maria Island, and stay with us at www.annamaria.com
Last night the Lightning showed some impressive spirit (something that was never lacking) in coming back from three goals down to tie at Anaheim. Trouble is, they then lost in OT with the Ducks captain Scott Niedermayer scoring on the power-play goal 52 seconds into overtime for a 4-3 win. Jeff Halpern, Steven Stamkos and Martin St. Louis scored for the Lightning, and Malone and Steve Downie each had two assists.
The loss leaves Tampa (8-4-7) for the season on 23 points in the Southeastern Division, second behind Washington, on 30. Stamkos has 14 goals so far, and St Louis 15 assists, so the numbers are stacking up.
But as ever with the Bolts, it seems, the stats don't tell the whole story. The OT loss meant Lightning kept their streak of games without a regulation loss to seven and battled back from three goals down. That said, it meant a seventh overtime or shootout loss of the season for Tampa. But the Lightning have improved to 4-0-3 in the past seven games, 6-1-5 in the past 12 and are unbeaten in regulation (3-0-2) in their past five games on the road.
So actually, this far, it ain't all bad. Which is more than can be said for certain other Tampa Bay professional sports teams...
Come to Anna Maria Island, and stay with us at www.annamaria.com
Friday, 9 October 2009
A very sad story
This latest news just in...
Justice in Tampa, Fl (AP)
A seven-year old boy was at the center of an Hillsborough County courtroom drama yesterday when he challenged a court ruling over who should have custody of him. The boy has a history of being beaten by his parents and the judge initially awarded custody to his aunt, in keeping with child custody law and regulation requiring that family unity be maintained to the highest degree possible..
The boy surprised the court when he proclaimed that his aunt beat him more than his parents and he adamantly refused to live with her. When the judge then suggested that he live with his grandparents, the boy cried and said that they also beat him.
After considering the remainder of the immediate family and learning that domestic violence was apparently a way of life among them, the judge took the unprecedented step of allowing the boy to propose who should have custody of him.
After two recesses to check legal references and confer with the child welfare officials, the judge granted temporary custody to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Football Team, whom the boy firmly believes are not capable of beating anyone.
(Come on Bucs, there's only room for one Detroit in the NFL)
Justice in Tampa, Fl (AP)
A seven-year old boy was at the center of an Hillsborough County courtroom drama yesterday when he challenged a court ruling over who should have custody of him. The boy has a history of being beaten by his parents and the judge initially awarded custody to his aunt, in keeping with child custody law and regulation requiring that family unity be maintained to the highest degree possible..
The boy surprised the court when he proclaimed that his aunt beat him more than his parents and he adamantly refused to live with her. When the judge then suggested that he live with his grandparents, the boy cried and said that they also beat him.
After considering the remainder of the immediate family and learning that domestic violence was apparently a way of life among them, the judge took the unprecedented step of allowing the boy to propose who should have custody of him.
After two recesses to check legal references and confer with the child welfare officials, the judge granted temporary custody to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Football Team, whom the boy firmly believes are not capable of beating anyone.
(Come on Bucs, there's only room for one Detroit in the NFL)
Monday, 14 September 2009
Positives from negatives
There are few positives to take out of the weekend for Tampa sports fans, but we'll have a go.
First, the comeback of Cadillac Williams to the Bucs offense. True, he was part of an outfit which lost 34-21 to Dallas and never looked like doing anything but, but the very fact that Williams was there at all should give Tampa fans some hope this season.
Williams ran for 97 yards, combining with newcomer Derrick Ward (12 carries, 62 yards) to lead a ground game that produced 174 yards on 31 carries. "The loss just spoiled everything," Caddy said. "I didn't come to stand out as an individual and lose ballgames. I'm a winner, and this team is a winner. Unfortunately, we lost, but the team is going to get better."
Er, whatever you say old boy.
And if you follow the Rays, well, take heart in the notion that now the only way is up for a beleaguered team which has now gone 11 straight without a win after dropping both games of a doubleheader to the Red Sox, 3-1 and 4-0, for their 10th and 11th losses in a row.
That's the longest losing streak in the majors this year, and it has dropped the Rays to 12 1/2 games behind the Red Sox just two weeks after they looked like viable contenders for the AL's wildcard playoff berth.
"It's embarrassing," said James Shields after taking the loss in the second game. "Eleven losses is embarrassing. It's not fun right now. We've got to play better baseball from here on out … and end our season on a high note."
Well, and here is the only positive I can find, at least the Rays are above .500 (one game above at 72-71, but above none the less) and have 19 games remaining to add some of those high notes Shields is referring to.
Hands up who thinks they are going to...
First, the comeback of Cadillac Williams to the Bucs offense. True, he was part of an outfit which lost 34-21 to Dallas and never looked like doing anything but, but the very fact that Williams was there at all should give Tampa fans some hope this season.
Williams ran for 97 yards, combining with newcomer Derrick Ward (12 carries, 62 yards) to lead a ground game that produced 174 yards on 31 carries. "The loss just spoiled everything," Caddy said. "I didn't come to stand out as an individual and lose ballgames. I'm a winner, and this team is a winner. Unfortunately, we lost, but the team is going to get better."
Er, whatever you say old boy.
And if you follow the Rays, well, take heart in the notion that now the only way is up for a beleaguered team which has now gone 11 straight without a win after dropping both games of a doubleheader to the Red Sox, 3-1 and 4-0, for their 10th and 11th losses in a row.
That's the longest losing streak in the majors this year, and it has dropped the Rays to 12 1/2 games behind the Red Sox just two weeks after they looked like viable contenders for the AL's wildcard playoff berth.
"It's embarrassing," said James Shields after taking the loss in the second game. "Eleven losses is embarrassing. It's not fun right now. We've got to play better baseball from here on out … and end our season on a high note."
Well, and here is the only positive I can find, at least the Rays are above .500 (one game above at 72-71, but above none the less) and have 19 games remaining to add some of those high notes Shields is referring to.
Hands up who thinks they are going to...
Thursday, 20 August 2009
Black is the new silver for Maddon
Do not be concerned for your sanity if you tune in to tonight's Rays v Orioles game, Joe Maddon actually does have black hair.
In fact the Rays manager's wife, Jaye, dyed his familiar silver-gray hair jet black ahead of the team's next theme road swing, the "Ring of Fire" trip to Toronto and Detroit next week in which all members of the traveling party will be encouraged to wear all black on travel days in honor of Johnny Cash.
"I was going to wait until Sunday night to do it," Maddon said, "but I thought, why not, in advance, just to get it up there and loosen things up a bit?"
"I didn't recognize him – twice," said shortstop Jason Bartlett after finally recognising Maddon Tuesday. "After I saw him, and then I saw him again in the food room and I did a double [take] – I didn't know who it was. I heard his wife likes it, so that's all that counts."
Designated hitter Pat Burrell admitted he thought the look made Maddon look 10 years younger, and his math was about right. Though Maddon said he started going gray in his 20s, his hair didn't go "full-blown silver" until 1998 or 1999.
"The last time I dyed my hair was 2002," Maddon said. "Angels went to the World Series."
Whether or not is helps the Rays over the line this season remains to be seen, but at least the manager will look stylish trying.
When you get to Florida, be sure to call in on Anna Maria Island, a little gem of a place off the Gulf Coast. Check out www.annamaria.com for the very best in vacation rentals on this paradise island.
In fact the Rays manager's wife, Jaye, dyed his familiar silver-gray hair jet black ahead of the team's next theme road swing, the "Ring of Fire" trip to Toronto and Detroit next week in which all members of the traveling party will be encouraged to wear all black on travel days in honor of Johnny Cash.
"I was going to wait until Sunday night to do it," Maddon said, "but I thought, why not, in advance, just to get it up there and loosen things up a bit?"
"I didn't recognize him – twice," said shortstop Jason Bartlett after finally recognising Maddon Tuesday. "After I saw him, and then I saw him again in the food room and I did a double [take] – I didn't know who it was. I heard his wife likes it, so that's all that counts."
Designated hitter Pat Burrell admitted he thought the look made Maddon look 10 years younger, and his math was about right. Though Maddon said he started going gray in his 20s, his hair didn't go "full-blown silver" until 1998 or 1999.
"The last time I dyed my hair was 2002," Maddon said. "Angels went to the World Series."
Whether or not is helps the Rays over the line this season remains to be seen, but at least the manager will look stylish trying.
When you get to Florida, be sure to call in on Anna Maria Island, a little gem of a place off the Gulf Coast. Check out www.annamaria.com for the very best in vacation rentals on this paradise island.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
