Lightning 5 - 4 Canucks
Final - OT
  for this game

Stamkos, Lightning try for first victory in Vancouver

Dec 11, 2010 - 5:11 PM (Sports Network) - Steven Stamkos was able to halt his lengthy goal-scoring drought on Friday night, but it wasn't enough to get the Lightning a victory in western Canada.

Tampa Bay closes out its three-game swing out west this evening against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena looking for its first ever victory in British Columbia.

Stamkos scored for the first time in seven games, with his 22nd goal of the season coming in the third period at Edmonton and forcing overtime. However, Dan Ellis, who made 20 saves, was bested twice in a shootout as Tampa Bay suffered a 4-3 setback.

The Lighting outshot the Oilers, 17-1, in the third period.

"I don't know if they even got a shot in the third period, we absolutely dominated them," Stamkos said. "Their goalie made some big saves. We didn't deserve that kind of fate tonight."

Randy Jones and Ryan Malone also scored for the Lightning, who have lost five of their last seven (2-3-2).

In capping their three-game swing through western Canada, the Lightning will try to win at Vancouver for the first time in franchise history. They are 0-8-1 with a pair of ties in 11 all-time trips to Vancouver.

Tampa Bay did record a 3-1 home victory over the Canucks a season ago in the lone meeting between the clubs, getting two goals from Martin St. Louis and one from Stamkos.

Vancouver still has six wins and a pair of ties in the last 10 meetings overall and is coming off Wednesday's 5-4 shootout victory over Anaheim, the club's fifth victory in six games.

Ryan Kesler scored twice, with his second coming with 21.5 seconds left in regulation to force overtime, and Jeff Tambellini scored a goal and had the game-winner in the shootout.

"We went into that third knowing that we hadn't come back after going into the third when being down, so we knew we wanted to get that one," Kesler said.

Roberto Luongo made 16 saves and stopped all three Ducks skaters in the shootout, while Daniel Sedin also scored.

Mason Raymond suffered a hand injury in the victory and will not play tonight, nor will Christian Ehrhoff (ear), but Mikael Samuelsson practiced on Friday and could be in the lineup tonight after missing Wednesday's game with a concussion.

Those won't be the only changes as Cory Schneider is expected to get his first start in net since Nov. 15. He has never faced the Lightning and is 3-0-1 with a 2.08 goals-against average in six games, including four starts, this year.

Vancouver will wrap a three-game homestand tonight by retiring Marcus Naslund's No. 19 jersey before the game. Naslund is the club's all-time leader in points with 756 after spending 12 of his 15 NHL seasons with the Canucks.

He served as the franchise's captain for seven seasons, starting in 2000-01.






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