Haves and have-nots
Lightning catch Bruins late, earn 2-2 tie
Posted: Sunday January 17, 1999 12:42 AM
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Check ya later: The Lightning's Darcy Tucker (16) slams the Bruins' Don Sweeney into the glass AP |
BOSTON (AP) -- Chris Gratton scored with just over five minutes left in
regulation as the struggling Tampa Bay Lightning
outplayed Boston for most of the game and came away with a a 2-2 tie on
Saturday night.
Despite a 29-11 shot advantage over the first two periods, Tampa Bay
was locked in a 1-1 battle and needed a spectacular save by Bill Ranford in
overtime to preserve the tie and break a seven-game losing streak.
"The game should have been over after the first two periods except for
Robbie Tallas," Lightning coach Jacques Demers said. "We talked about
playing hard and we'll be well respected by our fans in Tampa. We played
hard, and fortunately Billy made that great, great save."
Tallas, Boston's No. 2 goalie, made 37 saves overall and kept it close
in the opening two periods.
With the Lightning holding a 22-5 shot advantage 30 minutes into the
game, the sellout crowd booed the Bruins. It's something Tampa Bay (9-30-4)
has heard for different reasons this season.
"I didn't hear the boos probably because I'm so used to them," said
the Lightning's defenseman Jassen Cullimore. "We were concentrating on our
game. We had a team meeting after [Friday's 3-1 loss] in New Jersey and we
talked about defense -- not just the defensemen and goalies but everybody.
We felt if we took care of our own end, the rest would take care of
itself."
The Lightning, winless in January at 0-6-1, fell to 1-12-2 in their
last 15 games.
"They were playing with that hunger tonight," Tallas said of Tampa
Bay's effort. "They were throwing the puck at the net hard. It kind of took
us two periods to wake up."
Boston had grabbed a 2-1 lead when Rob DiMaio, who had just stepped
out of the penalty box, scored on a clean breakaway midway into the third
period after taking a pass from Dmitri Khristich.
Gratton then beat Tallas with a wrist shot from the right circle with
5:20 left in the period. Ranford made a sprawling glove stop on Sergei
Samsonov, who was alone in front, with 67 seconds left in overtime.
Pavel Kubina scored for the Lightning early in the second period.
Jason Allison had Boston's other goal.
Tampa Bay totally outplayed Boston in the opening period and owned a
12-3 shot advantage, but was frustrated by some strong play by Tallas until
Kubina shifted around all-star defenseman Ray Bourque at the blue line and
slipped a rising shot inside the left post 62 seconds into the second.
Allison, who circled the net while being closely checked by Darcy
Tucker, lifted his own rebound over Ranford's left shoulder with a
backhander while falling to his knees to tie it with 20 seconds left in the
period.
Tallas made a pair of excellent saves on slap shots by Stephane Richer
and Wendel Clark during a Lightning power play late in the first period.
The Lightning continued to control play for most of the second.
"It happens sometimes when you have a team that's struggling and it's
easy to say: 'Why don't they take advantage of it,' " Bruins coach Pat
Burns said of his team's play. "I wish it was that easy. We were fortunate
to get a point tonight."
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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