Thursday, Mar. 8 7:30pm ET
Lightning get last-minute goal
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TAMPA, Fla. (AP) – Kevin Weekes is doing all he can to ease the
pressure on Tampa Bay management to sign newly acquired goalie
Nikolai Khabibulin.
Weekes made 20 saves for his third shutout in six games as the
Lightning beat the Carolina Hurricanes 1-0 Thursday night. He has
stopped 62 of 63 shots against in winning his last three starts.
Through it all, Weekes has been hearing about his projected role
as a backup to Khabibulin, a two-time All-Star whose rights the
Lightning acquired in a blockbuster trade Monday with the Phoenix
Coyotes.
"We weathered the storm and showed a lot of character," Weekes
said. "I'm just one of the guys reaping the benefits with some of
the bounces now going our way."
Martin St. Louis joined Weekes in the spotlight, scoring the
winning goal with just 59 seconds left in the third period.
"I think it shows that you have to be patient throughout the
game," St. Louis said. "We had to wait until the last minute to
get a goal. It feels good."
The last-minute victory was the second straight for Tampa Bay,
which hadn't won back-to-back games in five weeks. Rookie Brad
Richards scored with 58 seconds left in overtime Tuesday for a 2-1
win over San Jose.
Brian Holzinger set up the deciding score with a back-handed
shot from just outside the crease of Hurricanes goalie Arturs Irbe.
St. Louis moved in from the right wing, got a rebound and lifted
the puck past Irbe at 12:01.
Weekes extended his scoreless streak to 113 minutes, 47 seconds
as Tampa Bay won for the third time in four games. The team had
only one victory in its 11 previous games.
"He is continuing to grow under tough circumstances,"
Lightning coach John Tortorella said of Weekes. "It was not an
artistic win or an offensive gem, but we battled."
Tampa Bay was outshot 8-1 in the first period despite two
power-play opportunities. The Lightning, who have converted only
six of 103 chances with a man-power advantage since Feb. 1, failed
on two other tries.
Irbe, making a bid for his 16th shutout of the season, finished
with 14 saves.
"We just could not put the puck in the net," Hurricanes coach
Paul Maurice said. "We got frustrated with that and stopped
shooting the puck when we had our chances. It came down to one
shot, and they got it."
Despite the loss, Carolina maintained its two-point lead over
Boston for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern
Conference.
Game notes
Carolina D Sandis Ozolinsh failed to score for the first
time in six games (5 goals, 4 assists). ... The Hurricanes win the
season series 3-2, with the home team winning each time.
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ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard
Carolina Clubhouse
Tampa Bay Clubhouse
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Ottawa 5
Boston 3
Philadelphia 5
Calgary 2
Pittsburgh 5
Atlanta 3
New Jersey 6
Minnesota 2
Tampa Bay 1
Carolina 0
Colorado 5
St. Louis 2
Phoenix 3
Vancouver 2
Los Angeles 4
Nashville 1
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