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DiPietro, Satan keep Islanders rolling

Feb 22, 2008 - 4:22 AM By Doug Mittler PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

UNIONDALE, New York (Ticker) -- Rick DiPietro again had his way with the Tampa Bay Lightning for the suddenly surging New York Islanders.

DiPietro stopped 32 shots for his third shutout of the season and Miroslav Satan snapped a scoreless tie early in the third period as the Islanders extended their winning streak to six games Thursday with a 1-0 victory over the Lightning.

On a night in which they welcomed back enforcer Chris Simon from a 30-game suspension, the Islanders equaled their longest run of success since December 2003, when they also won six straight. This streak has come after Ted Nolan's club had dropped seven in a row.

"It's not just a skill level, it's the will," Nolan said. "I'm a strong believer anybody can beat anybody on a given night."

DiPietro has won all three of his meetings against the Lightning this season, posting a pair of shutouts and allowing just two goals in the other victory. In this one, the All-Star made seven saves in the first period, 11 in the second and 14 in the third en route to his 14th career blanking.

It was another solid effort by the Islanders' defense, which saw Andy Sutton go down with a hamstring injury on Monday against San Jose. Blue-liners Brendan Witt, Chris Campoli and Bruno Gervais also are sidelined.

"That's a great offensive group over there," DiPietro said. "I thought our D stepped up big again."

"Good livin' (and) good praying," Nolan joked about his team's formula for success.

DiPietro's shutout was preserved when All-Star Vincent Lecavalier's wrist shot from the top of the faceoff circle hit the left goalpost with 5:08 left.

"Those are bounces you get when you're playing well," DiPietro said.

Satan's 14th goal of the season proved to be all the support DiPietro needed. Sean Bergenheim made a pass from along the right wing boards to Satan, who skated to the top of the slot and beat goaltender Karri Ramo to the stick side with a hard wrist shot at 5:37 of the third.

"(Bergenheim) basically tied up two guys, spun around and fed me the puck," Satan said. "I just used my speed and set up a shot."

Drew Fata, who was recalled from the minors on Wednesday due to injuries to the defense corps, also recorded an assist - the first of his NHL career.

Ramo turned aside 27 shots for the Lightning, who failed to earn a point for the first time in 11 road games (7-1-3).

"I thought we developed some scoring chances, but not enough," said Tampa Bay coach John Tortorella, whose team squandered a late lead Wednesday in an overtime loss at Buffalo. "We hit a couple of posts and DiPietro makes some big saves at key times, and that was the game."

Simon returned to the lineup after completing a 30-game suspension for stepping on the leg of Pittsburgh's Jarkko Ruutu in December. He received a 25-game ban for hitting the New York Rangers' Ryan Hollweg in the face with his stick last March.

The home crowd of 12,382 booed Simon during his first shift in the opening period.

"I respect that they have their opinion," said Simon, who played less than 6 1/2 minutes without recording a shot on goal. "I have to work hard and gain them back."

Lecavalier had a team-high six shots for the Lightning, but the closest was the one that went off the post.

"What can I say? I just have to keep shooting," said Lecavalier, whose goal-scoring drought reached five games. "This was a goalie's game tonight. Both played unbelievable."

Each team had at least one notable scoring chance in the second. Ramo made a nice save on a backhander by Mike Comrie midway through the period, while DiPietro made a big stop on defenseman Dan Boyle's wrist shot with approximately four minutes left.