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Lightning edge Flyers as Holmqvist comes through again in shooutout

Jan 31, 2007 - 5:32 AM PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) -- Johan Holmqvist can't be beat in the shootout and the Philadelphia Flyers still can't win at home.

Holmqvist stopped the only two shots he faced in the shootout and the Tampa Bay Lightning continued their domination of the Flyers with a 4-3 victory.

The Lightning now have won 11 of their last 12 meetings with the Flyers and improved to 11-3 against the Atlantic Division this season. Tampa Bay picked up its most recent win, and jumped into a tie for seventh place in the Eastern Conference, thanks to Holmqvist.

"In the third period, we were much better and Holmqvist did the job in the shootout," Tampa Bay coach John Tortorella said. "Those are the games you have to find a way to win when you are not at your best. This is a good type of game to win at this time of the year, because we're going to have more of them."

Holmqvist made 29 saves in regulation and overtime and then stoned Simon Gagne and Peter Forsberg in the shootout. He now has won six of his last eight starts and is a perfect 15-for-15 in the shootout this season.

"I feel pretty good about it and I've had some luck too. I feel confident when I go in the shootout," Holmqvist said. "I was trying to wait as long as I could for both shooters. For Gagne, I was really patient and I knew that I could follow him back and forth and that's what I did."

Vincent Lecavalier started the shootout by beating Robert Esche between the pads to give the Lightning the early advantage. Esche appeared to have made the save but the puck came trickling out and into the net.

After Holmqvist stopped Gagne with a sprawling pad save, Brad Richards beat Esche high to the stick side and Forsberg's backhander was stuffed by Holmqvist to end the game.

"I think we've been playing well the last three or four games. We are just expecting a consistent, energized effort," Philadelphia coach John Stevens said. "I thought that we had it tonight but it's unfortunate that we didn't get a win for our fans. We had a few chances in overtime and we had the lead in the third. We just didn't get it done in the shootout. I certainly like a lot of the things we are doing."

Esche made 30 saves, including 19 in the third period and overtime, but it was not enough to save the Flyers from their 11th straight home loss. Philadelphia has lost six straight home meetings with Tampa Bay.

"I feel that since Christmas I have played the best hockey I have ever played as a Flyer," Esche said. "I know the record isn't something to be desired, but as far as making the saves I have been making, this is the best I have felt as a Flyer."

After a scoreless opening period, there were four goals scored in the second period while Tampa Bay was on the power play but only two of them were by the Lightning.

Martin St. Louis gave Tampa Bay a 1-0 lead with his 31st goal of the season 6 1/2 minutes into the period. Mike Richards tied the game a minute later and Jeff Carter scored with 1:11 left in the session to give the Flyers a 2-1 lead. Ruslan Fedotenko scored 35 seconds later to make it 2-2.

Peter Forsberg's ninth tally of the season gave Philadelphia a 3-2 lead just over three minutes into the third period. Lecavalier recorded his 31st goal of the season at the 12:06 mark to make it 3-3.

"I haven't scored in the shootout in a while so I was happy from a confidence standpoint," Lecavalier said. "The goal in the third period was a tip. I got a little bit lucky but that was a big goal to tie it up."