Video: Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos after a 3-1 loss to Los Angeles

Posted Feb 7, 2012 by Erik Erlendsson

Updated Feb 7, 2012 at 11:48 PM

Birthday boy Steven Stamkos is in anything but a celebratory mood despite scoring his league leading 35th goal of the season after Tuesday’s 3-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings. Just see for yourself below:

 

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Dutch website reports daughter of Phil Esposito has died

Posted Jan 30, 2012 by Erik Erlendsson

Updated Jan 30, 2012 at 11:22 PM

According to Dutch web site IJshockey.com Carrie Selivanov has passed away at the age of 43 due to ilness. Selivanov is the daughter of Lightning founder and NHL Hall of Famer Phil Esposito who married former Lightning winger Alex Selivanov, a player/coach for Dutch hockey club Hague.

No details were immediately available.

Below is the translation from Google, with the original in Dutch below that:

“The wife of player / coach Alexander Selivanov Hague is deceased. Reported that the organization in The Hague.

Details about the death are still missing. It is also not clear what the tragedy will mean for The Hague. Selivanov has gone home to Germany. His wife is a daughter of hockey legend Phil Esposito.

Alexander Selivanov IJshockey.com wishes, his family and friends lots of strength with the loss.’‘

Original:

“De echtgenote van speler/coach Alexander Selivanov van Den Haag is overleden. Dat meldt de organisatie in Den Haag.

Details over het overlijden ontbreken nog. Ook is nog niet duidelijk wat de tragedie gaat betekenen voor Den Haag. Selivanov is naar huis in Duitsland vertrokken. Zijn echtgenote is een dochter van ijshockeylegende Phil Esposito.

IJshockey.com wenst Alexander Selivanov, zijn familie en vrienden heel veel sterkte met het verlies.’’

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Oberg among four Lightning players heading back to Norfolk

Posted Jan 25, 2012 by Erik Erlendsson

Updated Jan 25, 2012 at 12:31 PM

With Tampa Bay off for a week and Norfolk playing a pair of weekend games, the Lightning sent Evan Oberg, Trevor Smith, Mike Angelidis and Pierre-Cedric Labrie back to the AHL. During their call up the three forwards combined for one goal and three assists, not a bad contribution from the trio of forwards, and that doesn’t even count JT Wyman, who had a goal and three points in five games before he was injured. Oberg, who has been recalled seven times before getting in a game, took three shifts on Tuesday against Columbus but had a nice play in taking out Rick Nash in the slot area.

Here’s the official release from the team:

The Tampa Bay Lightning have reassigned defenseman Evan Oberg, as well as forwards Mike Angelidis, Trevor Smith and Pierre-Cedric Labrie to the Norfolk Admirals of the American Hockey League today, Vice President and General Manager Steve Yzerman announced.

Oberg, 6-foot, 191 pounds, made his Lightning debut in his sixth recall last night against the Columbus Blue Jackets, logging 1:21 in ice time with one hit.  He was acquired by the Lightning with Mike Kostka from the Florida Panthers on December 2 in exchange for James Wright and Mike Vernace. He has played in 25 AHL games this season with Norfolk and the San Antonio Rampage, recording two goals and eight points with a plus-3 rating.  Oberg has played in 13 games with the Admirals, notching two goals and six points.  He has played in 138 career AHL games with the Admirals, Rampage, Rochester Americans and Manitoba Moose. Oberg has also skated in five career Calder Cup Playoff games, all with Manitoba during the 2009-10 season.

A native of Forestburg, Alberta, Oberg has played in five career NHL games with the Lightning and Vancouver Canucks. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by Vancouver on April 10, 2009. Oberg was then acquired by Florida with the Canucks’ third-round choice in 2013 in exchange for Chris Higgins on February 28, 2011. Before joining the professional ranks he played at the University of Minnesota-Duluth.

Angelidis, 6-1, 200 pounds, made his NHL debut last night with Tampa Bay, scoring his first NHL goal on his first shot.  He finished the game with a plus-1 rating in 4:01 of ice time.  Angelidis has played in 38 games with the Admirals this season.  He has registered 10 goals and 21 points this season with a plus-8 rating and 95 penalty minutes.  At the time of his recall, Angelidis ranked fifth on Norfolk for goals, tied for sixth for plus/minus and seventh for points. 

A native of Woodbridge, Ontario, Angelidis has played in 353 career AHL games with Norfolk and the Albany River Rats.  Angelidis has also skated in 22 career Calder Cup Playoff Games, notching two goals and eight points. 

Angelidis spent his junior career with the Owen Sound Attack of the Ontario Hockey League, amassing 96 goals and 161 points in 284 games.  He was undrafted and signed by the Carolina Hurricanes on July 27, 2006.  The Lightning signed Angelidis as a free agent on August 3, 2010.

Labrie, 6-foot-2, 220 pounds, was recalled to the Lightning on January 6 and played in seven games, recording one assist and 10 penalty minutes while averaging 4:57 in ice time.  He made his NHL debut on January 7 against Montreal and recorded his first assist and point on January 21 at Phoenix. Labrie has appeared in 29 games for the Admirals this season, recording six goals and 19 points with a plus-17 rating and 63 penalty minutes.

A fifth-year professional, Labrie has appeared in 284 career AHL games between Norfolk, the Peoria Rivermen and the Manitoba Moose. In those games, he has scored 31 goals and 85 points with 483 penalty minutes.

An undrafted forward, Labrie was originally signed by the Vancouver Canucks on July 9, 2007. Vancouver traded him to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for forward Yan Stastny on March 3, 2010.

Smith, 6-foot-1, 195 pounds, played in four games with the Lightning after being recalled on January 16, recording two assists.  He earned his first NHL helper on January 21 at Phoenix.  While with Tampa Bay he was a plus-4 and averaged 7:54 in ice time.  Smith has played in 39 games for the Admirals this season, recording 16 goals and 44 points.  At the time of his recall he led all Norfolk skaters in points, was second for goals, assists and power-play goals with six, and was tied for second with a plus-17 rating. Smith has played in 321 career AHL games with Norfolk, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, the Syracuse Crunch and the Springfield Falcons.  In those games, he has registered 108 goals and 236 points.  He has also appeared in 10 career Calder Cup Playoff games, notching two goals and seven points. 

A native of North Vancouver, British Columbia, Smith has played in seven career NHL games, all with the New York Islanders during the 2008-09 season.  He has one career goal.  He was signed as a free agent by the Lightning on July 5, 2011.  He was originally undrafted out of the University of New Hampshire where he was an All Hockey East first team and a Second Team All American. 

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Marty St. Louis returns to Tampa Bay Lightning practice on Tuesday

Posted Dec 20, 2011 by Erik Erlendsson

Updated Dec 20, 2011 at 06:38 PM

SAN JOSE, Calif. – Less than two weeks after being struck near his left eye with a puck, Lightning right wing Marty St. Louis has returned to practice with the team.

St. Louis traveled with the team to San Jose Tuesday morning and joined his teammates on the ice for practice at HP Pavillion in preparation for Wednesday’s game against the San Jose Sharks. St. Louis was wearing a full metal cage to cover his face as he went through drills. No determination has yet been made whether he will be able to play on Wednesday against San Jose or Friday in Denver against the Colorado Avalanche.

During a morning skate on Dec. 8 at Madison Square Garden in New York prior to a game against the Rangers, teammate Dominic Moore accidently fired a backhand wide of the net that struck St. Louis near his left eye. St. Louis left the ice with blood coming out of the area around his eye just as he was set to appear in his 500th consecutive regular season game. He spent the night at NYU Medical center after suffering a broken nose and a hairline fracture of his orbital bone. His eye was swollen shut and a blood clot developed as he was kept off physical activity until the clot dissipated.

He was cleared for activity on Friday and began working out, doing an hour session in the gym while attempting to do some stickhandling with a tennis ball, but reported the vision in his left eye was still slightly blurred. St. Louis remained back in Tampa to continue workouts while the team travelled to Columbus, Ohio, to take on the Blue Jackets and at the time was unsure whether he would travel with the team.

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Anisimov apologizes to the Lightning, Tampa Bay accepts

Posted Dec 9, 2011 by Erik Erlendsson

Updated Dec 9, 2011 at 05:42 PM

After creating controversy with a goal celebration against the Lightning on Thursday, New York Rangers forward Artem Anisimov issued an apology to Tampa Bay on Friday.

Anisimov sparked a bit of a melee following his shorthanded goal in the second period, turning toward the Lightning goal after scoring and feigning like his stick was a shotgun and firing a shot in the direction of the Tampa Bay net. Lightning captain Vinny Lecavalier immediately charged after Anisimov that set off a scrum that resulted in 38 penalty minutes, including an unsportsmanlike call on Anisimov.

“I just want to apologize to Tampa,’’ Anisimov told assembled reporters following practice on Friday. “I didn’t mean something by it. It’s just my celebration and, when I score goals, I want to do something unusual. I apologize to Tampa. . . . I never do that celebration again. It’s a good lesson for me… No more shooting.’’

Lecavalier said it was nice to hear the Rangers’ rookie issue the apology.

“It’s good that he realizes what he did was wrong and apologized for it,’’ Lecavalier said.

Steven Stamkos, who was also outspoken regarding Anisimov’s antics following the game, accepted the apology but didn’t want to dwell on the situation.

“I’m sure he realizes now that he can’t do that in the NHL and at least he came out and as man enough to apologize and realize he made a mistake, that’s all you can ask for,’’ Stamkos said. “But now it’s gone, it’s done and over with now. We got the two points and it’s really not that big of a deal any more.’’

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Lightning’s Marty St. Louis struck near the eye with puck

Posted Dec 8, 2011 by Erik Erlendsson

Updated Dec 8, 2011 at 01:08 PM

NEW YORK - Tampa Bay Lightning forward Marty St. Louis is expected to miss tonight’s game against the New York Rangers after taking a puck to his left eye Thursday morning.

St. Louis was to appear in his 500th consecutive regular season game. He has not missed a game, regular or playoffs, since November of 2005 when he sat out two games with a broken finger.

On Thursday during the team’s morning skate at Madison Square Garden, the team was working on a drill in the corner when an errant puck off a backhand from Dominic Moore struck St. Louis near his left eye. St. Louis immediately dropped to the ice with blood pouring out the area above his eye. He needed help getting off the ice and at one point stumbled on his way back to the bench area.

After being looked at by team medical trainers, Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman said St. Louis was taken to NYU Medical Center for further evaluation.

“He’s got some swelling and that’s all I know right now,” Yzerman said.

Since returning from a broken leg at the end of the 2001-02 season, St. Louis has appeared in 749 of a possible 751 games and currently holds the third longest active games played streak in the NHL behind Calgary’s Jay Bouwmeester and Vancouver’s Henrik Sedin.

That streak is expected to end tonight.

“We’ll see what the extent of it is, but right now it doesn’t look pretty,” Lightning head coach Guy Boucher. “It just keeps on pouring. We have to prepare as if he’s not going to be available.”

Tampa Bay is also with defenseman Pavel Kubina, who will miss his third consecutive game with a lower body injury, although he did skate with the team Thursday morning.

Nate Thompson will also miss tonight’s game with an upper body injury. Thompson did not play the final two periods on Tuesday against the New York Islanders.

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NHL realigns, Tampa Bay Lightning to be in a new division next season

Posted Dec 5, 2011 by Erik Erlendsson

Updated Dec 5, 2011 at 09:54 PM

From the league earlier tonight:

The NHL’s Board of Governors on Monday approved a radical realignment plan, eliminating the current two-conference, six-division setup in favor of a configuration that features four conferences based primarily on geography. Two conferences will have eight teams and the other two conferences will have seven teams.

The Board authorized Commissioner Gary Bettman to implement this proposal in Monday evening’s vote, pending input from the National Hockey League Players’ Association.

The vote, which required a two-thirds majority of the League’s 30 governors, passed on the first of two days of meetings here at The Inn at Spanish Bay. The League’s new structure will go into effect starting next season.

The makeup of the yet-to-be-named four conferences is as follows:

* New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, New York Rangers, New York Islanders, Washington and Carolina

* Boston, Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, Buffalo, Florida and Tampa Bay

* Detroit, Columbus, Nashville, St. Louis, Chicago, Minnesota, Dallas and Winnipeg

* Los Angeles, Anaheim, Phoenix, San Jose, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Colorado

The four conferences are designed to alleviate geographic concerns among several current Western Conference teams that had been unhappy about their extensive travel through one, two, and sometimes even three time zones. Some of those teams argued that the late start of road games in the Pacific time zone were affecting fan interest, especially among younger fans. 

The new alignment also enables the NHL to create a balanced schedule in which all teams will play each other at least twice every season, once at home and once on the road, giving fans a chance to see every team and superstar in the League. The remaining games will be played within the conferences.

In the seven-team conferences, teams would play six times—three home, three away. In the eight-team Conferences, teams would play either five or six times in a season on a rotating basis; three teams would play each other six times and four teams would play each other five times. This process would reverse each season: An eight-team Conference member that plays an opponent six times in one season would play it five times the following season.

The top four teams in each Conference qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The first-place team would play the fourth-place team; the second-place team would play the third-place team. The four respective Conference champions would meet in the third round of the Playoffs, with the survivors playing for the Stanley Cup.

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Steve Yzerman questions motives behind Versus criticism of 1-3-1 trap

Posted Nov 17, 2011 by Erik Erlendsson

Updated Nov 17, 2011 at 02:20 PM

The meeting of the league’s 30 general managers earlier this week figured to center around Philadelphia’s tactics last week against Tampa Bay’s neutral zone trap when the Flyers sat on the puck in their own zone refusing to move it forward unless Lightning players came up to forecheck.

The move led to plenty of reaction around the league and led to criticism of the Lightning’s style of play. The harshest critics came during the intermission of the game, which was broadcast nationally in the United States on Versus, from studio analysts Keith Jones and Mike Milbury who called Tampa Bay’s style of play “embarrassing’’.

Tampa Bay general manager Steve Yzerman questions the motives of the criticism coming from the Versus analysts.

“Versus is owned by Comcast, Comcast owns the Flyers, Keith Jones is a broadcaster with the Flyers and is hardly impartial,’’ Yzerman said. “I think that anybody that looks at that objectively should be saying, “Did Tampa do the right thing or Did Philadelphia do the right thing’’ and you can make an argument both ways.’’

When the league’s GMs got together on Tuesday in Toronto, that was the crux of the situation, they discussed it as part of the agenda and essentially agreed to monitor things and deal with them accordingly should another team try the same stall tactics against Tampa Bay, or any other team.

“In general felt like this has happened in 8,000 or so games since coming out of the lockout, so let’s not overreact to it,’’ Yzerman said. “If more situations like that occur and become regular, that we’ll have to look at ways to govern or legislating a team’s inability, whether it be the offense or the defense, so we don’t have situations like that occur.’’

Yzerman said the discussions centered around whether or not something should be done now rather than what precisely should be done. Prevention would be the next step should a similar situation arise, and at that point it would have to be determined whether it’s the responsibility of the team with the puck to move it forward or the team in the defensive posture to come and forecheck.

“If this becomes a regular issue, it will be discussed again,’’ Yzerman said. “But to me, we have take the red line (at center ice) out of the game and made the end zones bigger, so what happens in the end zones is everybody retreats to the front of the net and you have five guys in front of your net blocking shots, you can’t get pucks through to the net.

“In the neutral zone, teams retreat into the neutral zone and you see a 1-4 (formation), you see a 1-2-2 and you see a 1-3-1 in any game. So at any time in any game, the team with the puck can decide we are just going to stay here and stop and force you to come to us. Then that team is going to have a decision to make, do I go or do I not go.’’

The next general manager’s meeting is scheduled to take place in March.

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Lightning’s Ryan Malone to play vs. Hurricanes

Posted Nov 1, 2011 by Erik Erlendsson

Updated Nov 1, 2011 at 01:30 PM

RALEIGH - The Lightning may have caught a break as LW Ryan Malone didn’t suffer any kind of a break. Or strain. Or tear.

After missing practice to undergo both an X-ray and MRI on Monday, Malone was given the green light and will be in the lineup when Tampa Bay faces the Carolina Hurricanes Tuesday night at RBC Center. Malone was one of the first players on the ice for the morning skate and said he has no limitations despite suffering an undisclosed upper-body injury during Saturday’s home victory against Winnipeg.

“We just wanted to look at an injury that is OK,’’ Malone said Tuesday morning. “We did an MRI just to check things out and everything is good. I’m ready to play.’’

The mystery injury is not related to his surgically repaired shoulder – stemming from a separated shoulder suffered in the first round of the playoffs – which kept him away from contact for the first two weeks of training camp. But whatever the situation involves, it won’t be enough to keep him out of the lineup.

“Unless he comes off the ice after a bad miracle happens, but right now we are believing in the good miracle, so he should be fine,’’ head coach Guy Boucher said.

One change Boucher did make for the game is inserting LW Mattias Ritola into the lineup while taking out C Tom Pyatt as the coaching staff continues to tackle the challenge of not letting players sit for too long of an extended period of time. Ritola has appeared in four of the first 11 games and has not played since the home opener on Oct. 17.

“It’s not because Pyatt isn’t playing well, I just don’t want to lose Rito,’’ Boucher said. “Rito hasn’t played in a while and in the games he’s played he’s played really well. We all know that we have a bunch of extra forwards since we kept (rookie Brett) Connolly and at this point of the year I don’t want to lose any guys.’’

SCORING PROWESS

D Marc-Andre Bergeron finished the month of October with a team-high 12 points on two goals and 10 assists. The 12 points mark the third highest point total in a month for a defenseman in franchise history.

The record of 15 is held by Doug Crossman (Nov., 1992) and Dan Boyle (Nov., 2005). Boyle also had 13 points in Dec. 2006, and 12 points in Dec. 2002. Roman Hamrlik (Nov. 1995) and Shawn Chambers (March 1994) also registered 13-point months by a defensemen.

KEEPING IT UP

Despite only playing 10 minutes, 34 seconds on Saturday, and only taking two shifts in the third period, Connolly’s level of play has not dropped off, according to Boucher.

Connolly remains in a top six role currently playing with C Vinny Lecavalier and RW Marty St. Louis. And though the rookie is still looking for his first goal, Connolly has three assists and his plus-3 rating is tied for second on the team.

“There’s no two-ways about it, he’s an NHL player,” Boucher said. “He has speed, he’s smart enough and has great vision (on the ice). He’s got grit, a lot of grit actually. All these make for a player who can play on our top two lines right now.’’

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Video: Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Guy Boucher after 1-0 victory against Winnipeg

Posted Oct 29, 2011 by Erik Erlendsson

Updated Oct 29, 2011 at 10:45 PM

Watch some of Guy Boucher’s thoughts following Saturday’s 1-0 victory against the Winnipeg Jets

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