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Bolts score narrow win over Rangers

Feb 28, 2011 - 12:45 AM New York, NY (Sports Network) - Dwayne Roloson made 22 saves and Vinny Lecavalier scored the winner early in the third as the Tampa Bay Lightning took a 2-1 win over the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden.

Martin St. Louis finished the game with a goal and an assist for the Lightning, who were coming off their record-tying 12-game homestand that saw the team go 7-3-2.

The win moved Tampa five points ahead of idle Washington for first place in the Southeast Division and five points behind idle Philadelphia for first overall in the Eastern Conference.

"I know it sounds like a cliche, but I go out every night trying to do everything I can to give the team a win," said Roloson. "Tonight, we battled through and we're able to get a close victory."

Brandon Prust scored the lone goal for the Rangers, who had won their previous two. Henrik Lundqvist stopped 17 shots in the loss.

"We defended, we had problems with their speed early on but then we finally got our forecheck going," said New York head coach John Tortorella. "They sit back, watch it, dump it in - we knew how they were going to play. We got around the puck as the game went on. We had some chances, didn't score right to the bitter end."

With the score tied in the final frame, Tampa went ahead thanks to a miscue from New York.

Dan Girardi was called for boarding at the 1:11 mark and Brian Boyle was called for delay of game a bit later when he flipped the puck over the glass. Just 36 seconds after the penalty to Boyle, Lecavalier's one-timer from the right circle beat Lundqvist for a 2-1 lead.

Roloson made 10 saves in the third, including a stop on newly-acquired Bryan McCabe with 26 seconds to play, to hang on for the win.

At the 5:04 mark of the first, the Lightning took a 1-0 lead. A give-and-go play between Steve Downie and St. Louis saw Downie send the disc from the slot to the right circle where St. Louis one-timed it home.

Skating shorthanded, the Rangers tied the game. A lead pass to Prust saw the winger get behind the defense as a Lightning player fall to the ice. Prust shifted to the backhand and followed the puck into the net, knocking over Roloson as the play was finished. The goal was reviewed and allowed to stand.

Game Notes

The Rangers acquired McCabe on Saturday from Florida for forward Tim Kennedy and a 2011 third-round draft choice. McCabe had two shots in 17 1/2 minutes of ice time...Tampa plays in New Jersey on Wednesday...New York hosts Buffalo on Tuesday...The Lightning swept the season series with the Rangers after losing three of four last year.