Lightning 3 - 2 Maple Leafs
Final
  for this game

Melrose, Lightning search for answers against Maple Leafs

Oct 28, 2008 - 1:29 PM Tampa Bay (1-3-3) at Toronto (3-2-3), 7:30 pm EDT

TORONTO (Ticker) -- Returning from a long hiatus as a coach, Barry Melrose's return to the bench has been rather frustrating.

The first-year Tampa Bay Lightning coach hopes his team can solve its early season struggles against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday.

Thanks to last Tuesday's 3-2 overtime win against the Atlanta Thrashers, Melrose got his first NHL win since April 6, 1995. He had been 0-8-3 as a head coach since that victory.

Under Melrose, the Lightning have struggled on offense, posting a league-low 11 goals in seven games this season. Their slump was evident in a 3-0 shutout loss to the San Jose Sharks on Saturday as well.

Notable newcomers Vaclav Prospal, Ryan Malone and Gary Roberts have combined for five points, while Steven Stamkos - the No. 1 overall pick in June's draft - has yet to record a point in seven games.

Meanwhile, Toronto has been rather successful despite entering the season with much lighter expectations than Tampa Bay. They are coming off a week in which they earned five out of a possible six points to move into a three-way tie for seventh place in the Eastern Conference.

Winners of two straight, the Maple Leafs have gotten a spark from center Nik Antropov, who has recorded four goals and three assists.








  • NHL
    FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
    --- --- --- -----
    TAMPA BAY 2 1 0 3
    TORONTO 1 1 0 2 FINAL
    GOAL SCORING:
    1ST PRD: TAM - JUSSI JOKINEN 1 (MARK RECCHI, MIKE LUNDIN) 5:08
    TOR - (PP) MATT STAJAN 1 (NIK ANTROPOV, ALEXEI PONIKAROVSKY)
    7:34
    TAM - VINCENT LECAVALIER 4 (VACLAV PROSPAL, MIKE SMITH)
    15:37
    2ND PRD: TAM - (PP) VINCENT LECAVA

    Oct 28 10:11 PM
  • 63
    roots
    RUWTbot Added 17 roots (Close Finish)

    Lightning 3, Maple Leafs 2  3rd - 1:17Oct 28 10:09 PM


  • NHL
    END OF THE 2ND 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
    --- --- --- -----
    TAMPA BAY 2 1 3
    TORONTO 1 1 2 END OF THE 2ND
    GOAL SCORING:
    1ST PRD: TAM - JUSSI JOKINEN 1 (MARK RECCHI, MIKE LUNDIN) 5:08
    TOR - (PP) MATT STAJAN 1 (NIK ANTROPOV, ALEXEI PONIKAROVSKY)
    7:34
    TAM - VINCENT LECAVALIER 4 (VACLAV PROSPAL, MIKE SMITH)
    15:37
    2ND PRD: TAM - (PP) V

    Oct 28 9:16 PM


  • NHL
    TAMPA BAY 3
    TORONTO 2
    2ND PRD: TOR - (PP) MIKE VAN RYN 2 (MIKHAIL GRABOVSKI, NIKLAS HAGMAN)
    13:15

    Lightning 3, Maple Leafs 2  2nd - 6:45Oct 28 9:06 PM
  • 41
    roots
    RUWTbot Added 36 roots

    Lightning 3, Maple Leafs 1  2nd - 7:04Oct 28 9:04 PM


  • NHL
    TAMPA BAY 3
    TORONTO 1
    2ND PRD: TAM - (PP) VINCENT LECAVALIER 5 (VACLAV PROSPAL, STEVEN
    STAMKOS) 4:08

    Lightning 3, Maple Leafs 1  2nd - 15:52Oct 28 8:48 PM


  • NHL
    END OF THE 1ST 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
    --- --- --- -----
    TAMPA BAY 2 2
    TORONTO 1 1 END OF THE 1ST
    GOAL SCORING:
    1ST PRD: TAM - JUSSI JOKINEN 1 (MARK RECCHI, MIKE LUNDIN) 5:08
    TOR - (PP) MATT STAJAN 1 (NIK ANTROPOV, ALEXEI PONIKAROVSKY)
    7:34
    TAM - VINCENT LECAVALIER 4 (VACLAV PROSPAL, MIKE SMITH)
    15:37
    SHOTS ON GOAL:

    Oct 28 8:23 PM


  • NHL
    TAMPA BAY 2
    TORONTO 1
    1ST PRD: TAM - VINCENT LECAVALIER 4 (VACLAV PROSPAL, MIKE SMITH) 15:37

    Lightning 2, Maple Leafs 1  1st - 4:23Oct 28 8:19 PM
  • 5
    roots
    #1 Cards Fan Added 5 roots

    Lightning 1, Maple Leafs 1  1st - 6:58Oct 28 8:10 PM


  • NHL
    TAMPA BAY 1
    TORONTO 1
    1ST PRD: TOR - (PP) MATT STAJAN 1 (NIK ANTROPOV, ALEXEI PONIKAROVSKY)
    7:34

    Lightning 1, Maple Leafs 1  1st - 12:26Oct 28 7:59 PM


  • NHL
    TAMPA BAY 1
    TORONTO 0
    1ST PRD: TAM - JUSSI JOKINEN 1 (MARK RECCHI, MIKE LUNDIN) 5:08

    Lightning 1, Maple Leafs 0  1st - 14:52Oct 28 7:51 PM

Related News