GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NHL: WASHINGTON (12-20) at TAMPA BAY (14-18)

NHL: WASHINGTON (12-20) at TAMPA BAY (14-18)

<h3>High-scoring Lightning set to face lowly Capitals</h3>

<div class="pre">Washington (12-18-2) at Tampa Bay (14-15-3) 7:30 pm EST</div>

TAMPA, Florida (Ticker) - The Tampa Bay Lightning can light upthe scoreboard with the best. It's stopping the other team thathas been a problem recently.


The Lightning will try to put it all together when they host theWashington Capitals on Saturday.


Tampa Bay suffered an embarrassing 9-6 loss to the CalgaryFlames on Thursday, continually allowing breakaway chances. Topgoaltender Johan Holmqvist was pulled after allowing four goalson just six shots and has allowed at least three goals in eachof his last three games.


Offensively, the Lightning are operating in top gear. VincentLecavalier leads the NHL with 49 points and Martin St. Louisranks eighth with 39.


The Capitals continue to have problems putting wins togetherdespite the presence of one of the most dynamic scorers in thegame, Alex Ovechkin.


The third-year superstar banged home his 23rd goal of the seasonin a 5-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Friday, and he iscurrently riding a seven-game point streak. Washington had athree-game winning streak snapped with the loss to Buffalo.

Tampa Bay has won two of three meetings between the teams thisseason, with St. Louis scoring in each game.

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at TAMPA BAY

<div class="pre">NHL AT TAMPA BAY
STARTING GOALIES: WAS - BRENT JOHNSON
TAM - JOHAN HOLMQVIST

OFFICIALS: REF - GREG DEVORSKI, TOM KOWAL
LIN - MIKE CVIK, PAT DAPUZZO</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at TAMPA BAY

<div class="pre">WASHINGTON VS TAMPA BAY - SCRATCHES

WASHINGTON TAMPA BAY

J ERSKINE HEALTHY C GRATTON HIP INJURY
S EMINGER HEALTHY
J MOTZKO HEALTHY</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at TAMPA BAY

<div class="pre">NHL WASHINGTON 0
TAMPA BAY 0 19:55 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at TAMPA BAY

<div class="pre">NHL WASHINGTON 0
TAMPA BAY 1
1ST PRD: TAM - PAUL RANGER 6 (VINCENT LECAVALIER) 4:28</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at TAMPA BAY

<div class="pre">NHL WASHINGTON 0
TAMPA BAY 1 9:45 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at TAMPA BAY

<div class="pre">NHL WASHINGTON 0
TAMPA BAY 1 5:50 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at TAMPA BAY

<div class="pre">NHL WASHINGTON 1
TAMPA BAY 1
1ST PRD: WAS - TOMAS FLEISCHMANN 5 (ALEXANDER SEMIN, MICHAEL NYLANDER)
14:26</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at TAMPA BAY

<div class="pre">NHL WASHINGTON 1
TAMPA BAY 1 4:09 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at TAMPA BAY

<div class="pre">NHL END OF THE 1ST 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
WASHINGTON 1 1
TAMPA BAY 1 1 END OF THE 1ST

GOAL SCORING:

1ST PRD: TAM - PAUL RANGER 6 (VINCENT LECAVALIER) 4:28
WAS - TOMAS FLEISCHMANN 5 (ALEXANDER SEMIN, MICHAEL
NYLANDER) 14:26

SHOTS ON GOAL: 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
WAS 10 10
TAM 11 11

GOALIES: WAS - BRENT JOHNSON
TAM - JOHAN HOLMQVIST</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at TAMPA BAY

<div class="pre">------------------------
Washington 1 --1
Tampa Bay 1 --1
------------------------

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Tampa Bay, Paul Ranger 6 (Vincent
Lecavalier), 4:28. 2, Washington, Tomas Fleischmann 5 (Alexander
Semin, Michael Nylander), 14:26. Penalties: T Fleischmann, Was
(slashing), 5:03; M St. Louis, Tam (tripping), 6:16; M Darche, Tam
(goalie interference), 6:48; S Morrisonn, Was (slashing), 10:49.

Shots on goal:
-----------------------------
Washington 10 --10
Tampa Bay 11 --11
-----------------------------

Goalies : Washington, Brent Johnson (11 shots, 10 saves). Tampa Bay,
Johan Holmqvist (10 shots, 9 saves). Referees: Greg Devorski, Tom
Kowal. Linesmen: Mike Cvik, Pat Dapuzzo.</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at TAMPA BAY

<div class="pre">NHL WASHINGTON 1
TAMPA BAY 1 19:55 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at TAMPA BAY

<div class="pre">NHL WASHINGTON 2
TAMPA BAY 1
2ND PRD: WAS - QUINTIN LAING 2 (BRIAN POTHIER) 0:08</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at TAMPA BAY

<div class="pre">NHL WASHINGTON 2
TAMPA BAY 1 16:30 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at TAMPA BAY

<div class="pre">NHL WASHINGTON 2
TAMPA BAY 2
2ND PRD: TAM - VINCENT LECAVALIER 22 (VACLAV PROSPAL) 5:50</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at TAMPA BAY

<div class="pre">NHL WASHINGTON 2
TAMPA BAY 2 13:35 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at TAMPA BAY

<div class="pre">NHL WASHINGTON 2
TAMPA BAY 2 7:32 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at TAMPA BAY

<div class="pre">NHL WASHINGTON 2
TAMPA BAY 2 6:58 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at TAMPA BAY

<div class="pre">NHL WASHINGTON 2
TAMPA BAY 2 1:42 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at TAMPA BAY

<div class="pre">NHL END OF THE 2ND 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
WASHINGTON 1 1 2
TAMPA BAY 1 1 2 END OF THE 2ND

GOAL SCORING:

1ST PRD: TAM - PAUL RANGER 6 (VINCENT LECAVALIER) 4:28
WAS - TOMAS FLEISCHMANN 5 (ALEXANDER SEMIN, MICHAEL
NYLANDER) 14:26
2ND PRD: WAS - QUINTIN LAING 2 (BRIAN POTHIER) 0:08
TAM - VINCENT LECAVALIER 22 (VACLAV PROSPAL) 5:50

SHOTS ON GOAL: 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
WAS 10 12 22
TAM 11 7 18

GOALIES: WAS - BRENT JOHNSON
TAM - JOHAN HOLMQVIST</div>