Lightning vs Hurricanes (03.10.04)

Game Night

Tampa Bay Lightning
http://www.coolhockey.com/jersey/Lightning_home_replica.jpg

vs

Carolina Hurricanes
http://www.coolhockey.com/jersey/Hurricanes_away_replica.jpg

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Place: RBC Center
Time: 7:08 PM

Team Records:

Tampa Bay: 39-17-8-5, 91 points
205 goals for, 157 goals against

Carolina: 22-29-13-4, 61 points
131 goals for, 167 goals against

Special Teams:

Tampa Bay:
Powerplay: 16.4% (48/292) - 13th place
Penalty Kill: 84.3% (198/235) - 15th place

Carolina:
Powerplay: 11.7% (37/316) - 30th place
Penalty Kill: 82.5% (251/305) - 22nd place

Team Leaders:

Tampa Bay:
Goals: Martin St. Louis (32)
Assists: Martin St. Louis (48)
Points: Martin St. Louis (80)
Plus/Minus: Martin St. Louis (+31)
Penalty Minutes: Chris Dingman (136)
Shots on goal: Brad Richards (221)
Average ice time: Dan Boyle (22:44)
Wins: Nikolai Khabibulin (24)
Save Percentage: John Grahame (91.7%)
Goals Against Average: John Grahame (1.86)

Carolina:
Goals: Josef Vasicek (16)
Assists: Justin Williams (24)
Points: Josef Vasicek (35)
Plus/Minus: Glen Wesley (+13)
Penalty Minutes: Jesse Boulerice (113)
Shots on goal: Jeff O'Neill (207)
Average ice time: Sean Hill (24:51)
Wins: Kevin Weekes (20)
Save Percentage: Kevin Weekes (91.3%)
Goals Against Average: Kevin Weekes (2.26)

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Probable Goaltenders

Tampa Bay Lightning
http://espn.go.com/i/nhl/profiles/players/1174.jpg

Nikolai Khabibulin
24 - 15 - 7, 2.32 GAA, 91.1 SV%

vs

Carolina Hurricanes
http://espn.go.com/i/nhl/profiles/players/1677.jpg

Kevin Weekes
20 - 25 - 10, 2.26 GAA, 91.3 SV%

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"With Ron Francis traded to Toronto and Marty Murray suffering a hand injury in practice Tuesday, the Canes recalled forwards Ryan Bayda and Mike Zigomanis from Lowell (AHL). Zigomanis leads the Lock Monsters in points with 58, while Bayda has 21 points in 29 AHL games and three points in 31 NHL games this season. ... Murray was evaluated by team doctors Tuesday and is day-to-day."

From the N&O.

I hope Bayda plays with the poise he did last season, and not like he did earlier this season. Zigomanis...I'll hold back comments.

I wonder who will step up tonight? I hope Vasicek & Staal try to make a statement the next few games that they are the future leaders of this team. With Francis gone, this game will be strange. Francis hasn't missed a game in about 2 1/2 years, right?

Also, I hope the fans at the RBC gives Rutherford and Hill the business tonight. I wish I could kick them both in the nuts. Sean Hill truly showed everyone how much he really cared about this organization. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the players in the locker room are eyeing him kind of funny. He shouldn't be looked to as a leader on this team at all...selfish *******.

I'm not going to be here tonight, I have to help a neighbor out tonight. Why she waited so late to remind me of helping her move furniture (something my friggin wife agreed too :/) is beyond me. Damn.

im at my girlfriends house so i may not watch it.. i may go somewhere to watch it if i can. if not ill check in here. i want to see zigo get a better chance that last time- i think he has something to offer.

Sean Hill truly showed everyone how much he really cared about this organization. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the players in the locker room are eyeing him kind of funny. He shouldn't be looked to as a leader on this team at all...selfish *******.

Might I ask what in the heck you are talking about?

Hill blocked 2 trades yesterday, but I'm done talking about that. I can't watch the game anyway, because I'm blacked out. I don't live in that close to Raleigh, so I find blackout rules are stupid in alot of instances.

I just turned on the game a couple of minutes in and it's already 2-0 TB. That's just wonderful. This has been the worst year for me ever as a hockey fan. I don't think I can take anymore guys.

With Francis being traded and the lack of character this team shows again and again, I think I need a serious break. I am considering shutting 'er down for the season and rehabbing my attitude.

http://www3.telus.net/canuck/goal.gif

Carolina scores. 2-1.

Jesse Boulerice 3 (Mike Zigomanis)

http://www3.telus.net/canuck/goal.gif

Carolina scores. 2-1.

Jesse Boulerice 3 (Mike Zigomanis)

Great to see Zigomanis get on the scoresheet. Boulerice will score 30 next year, you heard it here first! :p

With Francis being traded and the lack of character this team shows again and again, I think I need a serious break. I am considering shutting 'er down for the season and rehabbing my attitude.

I think I'm with you on this one man. I've had about enough for one season with this team.

At least watching the Penguins they give 100% effort every night, and make it fun to watch. All the young players really give you something to look forward too.

I don't get that feeling with Carolina. The team doesn't seem to have an identity to me at this point.

I think I'm with you on this one man. I've had about enough for one season with this team.

At least watching the Penguins they give 100% effort every night, and make it fun to watch. All the young players really give you something to look forward too.

I don't get that feeling with Carolina. The team doesn't seem to have an identity to me at this point.

They really don't have an idenity yet. Rutherford refuses to believe that this team doesn't fit together well and he thinks he has the team to compete for the Cup every single season and refuses to break down into a rebuild. This season has been the closest he has ever come, yet he refuses to part with veterans like Sean Hill, Marty Murray, Rod Brind'Amour, Glen Wesley, and Bret Hedican. All of these guys are eating up salary and all of those guys could get at least a draft pick back in return.

However, I think there is quite a bit of promise on this team with O'Neill, Vasicek, Staal, Brendl, Williams, Cole, Bayda, Zigomanis, and Vrbata. JR just needs to quit tempting fate and let this team be blown up and start from scratch again with the forwards I listed above. This team has been the forever .500's for a reason and it's because JR has been putting a band-aid on an open wound for the past 10 years at least.

This team has been the forever .500's for a reason and it's because JR has been putting a band-aid on an open wound for the past 10 years at least.

That seems to sum it up quite well. I'm pretty new to the franchise, being a fan for only three years. But these past two years are more frustrating than any other I've had as a sports fan for any team.

I'm looking forward to the draft this summer though, I can say that. I'd love to drive down and stay for the weekend to attend the draft, but those odds are probably small. I'm not looking at the standings, but I'd guess we are in line for a top five choice right? It's been awhile since I last looked.

That seems to sum it up quite well. I'm pretty new to the franchise, being a fan for only three years. But these past two years are more frustrating than any other I've had as a sports fan for any team.

I'm looking forward to the draft this summer though, I can say that. I'd love to drive down and stay for the weekend to attend the draft, but those odds are probably small. Not looking at the standings, but I'd guess we are in line for a top five choice right?

Where we sit right now, we're probably in line for the 5th Selection. Hopefully we can trade up and take Cam Barker. I'd be so very excited. We need a defensive stud and if JR can pull this one off, my faith will be restored.

I'm going to be there hopefully as well.

http://www3.telus.net/canuck/goal.gif

Carolina scores. 2-2.

Radim Vrbata 10 (Kevyn Adams, Aaron Ward)

I'm going to be there hopefully as well.

I'm planning to be there, hopefully make it a family thing and stay over night. We should have a Hockey Future's gathering :p

Btw, as referring to staying away from the team, I'm just going to try to check my negative attitude before I post. Rutherford and 'veterans who don't give a damn but don't realize it' are driving me nuts. Karmanos isn't going to change anything, so I guess I'm going to have to learn and deal with it. I love this team, I'll just hope for the best and try not to spew negativity. It's seriously getting to all of us, though. :(

Wow, I wish I can watch this game. Good to see the younger players getting involved.

Also, I think Laviolette is a great coach. Look at what he's done for Kevyn Adams & Aaron Ward. Soon as some of the veterans move on I think this franchise's luck will change.

Vrbata's first point and goal in 15 games. Good to see him break the slump.

Game over. We lose 4-2.

ouch. Well, guess we better get used to that. I think reality has hit alot of the vets. Did the RBC turnout look good? From a clip I saw on Sportsnet it looked like the house was filled in the lower seating.

I thought the team came out and played very well tonight. The first two goals by Tampa came so fast and early in the game that it looked bad at first but the canes bounced back. They carried the play for most of the game but (of course) gave up a heartbreaking goal late and then the empty netter.

I am kind of eager to watch this team play the rest of the year without Francis. He didn't have much left in the tank anyways and we would have had to get used to Canes hockey with out him sooner than later anyway.

I love this team, I'll just hope for the best and try not to spew negativity. It's seriously getting to all of us, though. :(


Thats good I was worried that we might need to hide your shoe laces and belts. ;)

they looked eally quick thruogh the first 2 periods (despite the start). i liked what i saw from zigo and bayda - they need to play more. i think its not a bad thing to have brindy now that ronnie isnt around - they will need some leaders left and he looks pretty good lately. i didnt miss oneill tonight, watching the young pups run around. i think we can live without him - will see about that this summer i guess. im as frustrated as anyone else is....im just too tired of saying it over and over again. im not happy about hill blocking the trades - if he signs somewhere else after this ill really lose any respect for him i have. i dont know what to say. since i live in CO, at least i get to watch the avs go for a run. ive hardly been on these last few days because i dont have anything to say. wood, sorry ronnie went to the leafs...that must really suck.

I'm planning to be there, hopefully make it a family thing and stay over night. We should have a Hockey Future's gathering :p

Btw, as referring to staying away from the team, I'm just going to try to check my negative attitude before I post. Rutherford and 'veterans who don't give a damn but don't realize it' are driving me nuts. Karmanos isn't going to change anything, so I guess I'm going to have to learn and deal with it. I love this team, I'll just hope for the best and try not to spew negativity. It's seriously getting to all of us, though. :(

I really think I need to do the same with my attitude. I'll just try to find what all positives I can out of the play of the team. I'll also agree that JR just needs to bite the bullet and trade away a lot of our vets for prospects and picks. I'm just getting sick of this team trying to play for just making the playoffs instead of trying to build up like Tampa, Ottawa and Vancouver have.

As for the HF board gathering, that's a great idea. I'll be there for sure on both days as I'm living just down the road in Apex.

I left #hfchat last night because I made a joke of this, but the guys in there were a wee bit serious for my humor. I didn't get to see it, but evidently (you know how this boards is) much ado is being made of nothing:

http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=61060&page=2&pp=15

I left #hfchat last night because I made a joke of this, but the guys in there were a wee bit serious for my humor. I didn't get to see it, but evidently (you know how this boards is) much ado is being made of nothing:

http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=61060&page=2&pp=15

From my viewing point in the staduim I would have noticed if something even close to as malicious as what they are descibing happened. Then again fans take things way too seriously... I know I'm definitely no exception.