Storm brewing in Oil Country

Tampa Bay Lightning vs Edmonton Oilers 3-2 (0-0, 3-1, 0-1)

The Oilers made some roster changes before this game, calling up Andrew Cogliano who drew into the lineup on the second line with newcomer Tangradi and Brooks Laich. Jonas Hiller relieved Khabibulin in net, while Anton Krysanov centered Moore and Axelsson on the third line. The Bolts were struggling in the Eastern Conference, holding the worst record with 22-30-6 after 58 games.

Despite dominating possession and creating a number of quality chances, the Oilers could not break the deadlock in the first period. The absence of secondary scoring from the bottom two lines was glaring, as neither line managed to contribute to any of the 18 shots the Oilers amassed during the period.

In the second it rained. It poured. First, Matthias Öhlund pinched in and scored from the top of the circle, then Tampa activated their defense offensively again through a Meszaros marker on the power play. The Oilers were rolling again, but not fiercely like thunder would roll, more like how a puppy would meekly submit to its owner. Fortunately, there were those who would not resign, and one of them scored a remarkable goal to keep the Oilers in it - Lubomir Visnovsky carried the puck from behind his own net, by three Bolts players and scored with a tremendous shot. Had that been the end of the period, the Oilers would have rejoiced, but instead Martin St. Louis put the Lightning in front by 2 late on.

The Oilers struggled, kept fighting, but sunk slowly into the murky depths of defeat throughout the third. Despite a power play goal by Moore, Edmonton could not close the gap created in the second period.

Post game: "No excuses, so no comment" was all the press could get out of GM Kowalski upon the final whistle of the defeat against the bottom team of the Eastern Conference. There were positives for the Oilers, for a neutral observer, chief of which was their power play's re-doubled efforts to produce.

Scoreboard
1st Period:
-

2nd Period:
TBL - Öhlund (Boyd, Meszaros)
TBL - Meszaros (St. Louis, Öhlund) PP
EDM - Visnovsky (Laich, Hemsky) PP
TBL - St. Louis (Öhlund, Lecavalier)

3rd Period:
EDM - Moore (Laich, Penner) PP


Injuries/Misconducts/Etc.
-

Lines:
Penner - Gagner - Hemsky
Tangradi - Laich - Cogliano
Moore - Krysanov - Axelsson
Moreau - Falardeau - O'Marra

Babchuk - Visnovsky
Smid - Gilbert
Grebeshkov - Yonkman

Hiller
(Khabibulin)