November 25 Clips
Tampa Bay Times Forum Media Clips Monday, November 25, 2013
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Lightning’s focus on St. Louis – Damian Cristodero (Tampa Bay Times) Bolts to recognize St. Louis’ grand feat – Erik Erlendsson (Tampa Tribune) Tapped in: Thompson talks finding success in Tampa – Kathryn Tappen (nhl.com) Rangers top line confident goals will come – Pat Leonard (NY Daily News) Rangers have Moore to love – Brett Cyrgolis (NY Post) Rangers’ Kreider looking to become a finisher – Andrew Gross (Bergen Record)
Lightning’s focus on St. Louis Damian Cristodero (Tampa Bay Times)
TAMPA — Marty St. Louis has been through plenty of scoring slumps in his career. As he said Sunday, "I know I can get streaky." So the Lightning captain isn't overly concerned with his current skid, especially because he believes he is skating well and doing the right things on the ice. Still, St. Louis has just one goal in his past 12 games and is minus-7 in his past eight at a time Tampa Bay, without injured star Steven Stamkos, needs him to be at his best. Perhaps that is a bit unfair. It is a team game, and St. Louis isn't the only Lightning player missing from the score sheet. Teddy Purcell has one goal in 17 games. Ryan Malone has two in 17. But St. Louis' stature puts him in a special leadership position, especially with Tampa Bay (14-8-1) coming off a 0-31 road trip in which it was outscored 17-6. "My whole life I put pressure on myself," he said. "There's nobody that can put more pressure on me than myself. I think that's why I was able to play at the level that I am." That will be celebrated before tonight's game with the Rangers at the Tampa Bay Times Forum when St. Louis, 38, is presented with a silver stick to commemorate his 1,000th game, played Tuesday in Los Angeles. But then it is back to business. St. Louis — with eight goals and 21 points in 23 games, and whose average 21:13 of ice time is most among league right wings — acknowledged that business has gotten more difficult since Stamkos went down with a broken right leg Nov. 11 and opponents switched their primary defensive pressure to him. "Every night I'm playing against the top guys," St. Louis said. "It's a task that I'm used to, and you want that challenge. If you start making excuses, that's when you're going to take a longer time to get out of it. But if you keep pushing and expect good things, you should be all right." For St. Louis, like the rest of the Lightning, deliverance from an offensive slump starts with defense. Tampa Bay had gotten lazy in the defensive zone. The concept of defending as a five-man unit had slackened. Forwards were cheating toward the offensive zone. And after an emotional surge in two victories after Stamkos was hurt, there was the inevitable letdown. "A little reality set in for us, and we lost some games," coach Jon Cooper said. "Now we're spinning into that cycle of (Stamkos) hasn't played for us in a while. We understand how our team is and what we can do, and Marty falls into that, too." St. Louis helped invigorate Tampa Bay's team defense by playing what Cooper called "perhaps his best game in weeks" in Friday's 1-0 overtime loss to the Ducks. "He was humming," Cooper said. "We ran into a hot goalie (Jonas Hiller), but he was a big reason we played so well. He showed a lot of leadership. He was a big part of why we snuck out a point." "A lot of what we've been doing wrong is defensive, and that's what we've been working on," wing Alex Killorn said. Against the Ducks, St. Louis "was definitely a leader in that sense," he said. Still, a goal now and then would be nice. "At the end of the day," St. Louis said, "it's about results."
MOVES: With defenseman Radko Gudas (upper body) and left wing Malone (foot) questionable for tonight, wing Nikita Kucherov and defenseman Dmitry Korobov were called up from AHL Syracuse. Kucherov leads the Crunch with 13 goals and 24 points in 17 games. Korobov leads at plus-7. . Tonight Lightning vs. Rangers When/where: 7:30; Tampa Bay Times Forum TV/radio: Sun Sports; 970-AM Key stats: Lightning G Ben Bishop is 3-0-0 against the Rangers, with a 1.26 goals-against average and a .952 save percentage. … New York has earned at least a point in 100 consecutive games in which it entered the third period with a lead. … Tampa Bay has lost three straight to the Rangers by a combined score of 12-4. … New York G Cam Talbot is 5-0-0 in his past five starts, with a 1.18 goals-against average and a .954 save percentage. … The Lightning power play is in a 3-for-34 slump.
Bolts to recognize St. Louis’ grand feat Erik Erlendsson (Tampa Tribune)
TAMPA — It will be an emotional next few days for Tampa Bay Lightning captain Marty St. Louis. Before tonight’s game at The Forum, St. Louis will be recognized for appearing in his 1,000th career NHL game. That will happen with former teammate and fellow 2004 Stanley Cup champion Brad Richards on the opposing bench with the New York Rangers. After that, former Tampa Bay captain Vinny Lecavalier, a 12-year teammate of St. Louis, will return to Tampa for the first time since signing with the Philadelphia Flyers. But first will be the ceremony to honor St. Louis’ 1,000th game, which took place Tuesday in Los Angeles. The celebration will begin just after 7:30 p.m. “It’s exciting for me, it’s exciting for my family,’’ St. Louis said. During the ceremony, St. Louis will be presented with a commemorative silver stick by the league as well as gifts from the team and his teammates. St. Louis is expected to be joined on the ice by his wife, Heather, and their three children, along with Tampa Bay general manager Steve Yzerman and owner Jeff Vinik. St. Louis became the 286th player in league history, and just the 16th undrafted player, to accomplish the 1,000-game milestone. All but 69 games have come in a Lightning uniform. “I am proud of that accomplishment. Not many guys get to get there,’’ St. Louis said. “There are so many variables with injuries, people believing in you. So it’s an honor to be able to achieve that, especially, I think, the way I came into this league. I had to knock on a few doors and I had to make people believe that I could play in this league and at first it was pretty tough.’’ The week comes at a time when St. Louis is struggling offensively with just one goal in 12 games and just six assists in that span. But just as the team is starting to regain its form following a four-game winless stretch during a West Coast trip, St. Louis is starting to bring his game around as well. Though the offensive production has yet to follow, there are plenty of signs to show a breakthrough is coming.
“I thought he had his best game in weeks (Friday) against Anaheim. He was humming,’’ Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said. “He showed a lot of leadership after the San Jose game (on Thursday) and was a big reason why we got a point in Anaheim.’’ St. Louis can feel that as well and knows plenty of eyes will be on him to lead the way in the absence of Steven Stamkos. “I know I can get streaky, and it’s one of those situations and I’ve been through it before, so I try not to read into it too much,’’ St. Louis said. “I feel like I’m skating well. I’m playing with new people and trying to get used to them and they are trying to get used to me. “I put pressure on myself to help the team, and I know it’s a team game, but my whole career I’ve put that pressure on myself and there is nobody that can put more pressure on me than myself. That’s why I’ve been able to play at the level I have.’’
Tapped in: Thompson talks finding success in Tampa Kathryn Tappen (nhl.com)
Kathryn Tappan: Growing up in Alaska, what were some of the activities you participated in outside of hockey? Nate Thompson: In Alaska, fishing was the big thing. If I wasn’t a hockey player I’d be a fly fisherman. In the winter I actually skied and snowboarded. We also played hockey outside. I really enjoyed playing football. I was a running back and loved playing the game. I did so right up until I left to play hockey in Seattle [for the Thunderbirds in the Western Hockey League]. KT: What were some of the biggest challenges of playing hockey in Alaska? NT: I owe my parents a lot for allowing me to play hockey. We had some pretty good teams that I was a part of growing up with guys like Matt Carle and Brandon Dubinsky. We all played together growing up. We played against so many teams and had so much travel playing in a lot of tournaments. That’s how you got your exposure and that's how you got better. I owe my parents because it wasn't cheap and it was time-consuming. KT: Well, it paid off because you have solidified yourself as an NHL player on a darn good team. What’s been the key to the Lightning's success this season? NT: I think a little bit of everything. Having Coop [coach Jon Cooper] here, right away he had us all on the same page right from Day 1 of training camp. We have a good team, and had one in the past, I just think we underachieved. We have a core group of veterans here and then the young guys who have come up have played extremely well. They are all familiar with Coop because they played for him in the AHL. Ben Bishop has been unbelievable this year; that's always a plus when your goalie is your best player. We've done a good job responding well after a loss. KT: It wasn't always an easy ride for you. Drafted in 2003 by Boston in the sixth round, you were picked up on waivers twice, by the New York Islanders and then Tampa Bay. Was having patience a big part of those years as you developed as a pro? NT: There were a lot of ups and downs. Being put on waivers in general is a tough spot to be in, let alone twice. I was trying to find my way as a player. The Islanders gave me a chance and then that didn’t work out. As soon as I got to Tampa I really settled in. As I got older I really started to figure it all out. [General manager] Steve Yzerman has given me a great opportunity. Now as I'm a big part of the team and wearing a letter it's been such a great fit for me.
KT: Why has Tampa been the perfect fit? NT: That's a good question. Sometimes it just doesn't work out with a team like Boston or New York. It could be numbers, you may be a younger player and there are other guys there. Part of it is by chance. In Tampa the guys I've been put with have given me the opportunity to succeed in my role. KT: Steven Stamkos is not just your teammate -- he's your good friend. What was your reaction to his injury when you saw him on the ice? NT: I was scared. It's so hard to see a guy like that, especially Stammer, for him to not get up and skate off, I knew something was seriously wrong. More importantly I was worried about his health as a person. You have to put hockey aside and hope that he's OK. It was so tough to watch. But Stammer is a specimen, a freak, so I wouldn't be surprised if he's back a lot quicker than everyone thinks. KT: How has your role as a center changed in Stamkos’ absence? NT: It won't change a lot but there will be times where I will be called upon more with different situations, whether it's 4-on-4 or playing with the top-line guys for an extra shift in a game. I think we all are trying to respond. We can't sulk and feel sorry for ourselves because Stammer is hurt. We have to find a way to win without him. KT: The past two seasons you've participated in the World Championship. What is it like to wear the Team USA sweater? NT: It's an honor. Whenever I have a chance to play for Team USA it's a special feeling to represent your country. This past year when we won the bronze medal it was something I'll never forget. It's a great experience. KT: You got married in July. Cristin Stuart, a former standout on the Boston College women's hockey team, now is Mrs. Thompson. Is there friendly competition between you two on the ice? NT: (laughs) We skated together for the first time last year during the lockout when I was playing in Alaska. There was a little bit of competition. She put the skates on and she kept saying she was rusty but I disagreed. I thought she still looked pretty good. She's a great skater. Every now and then we talk about hockey but she's good about it and doesn't bring it up very often. She jokes that she's retired for a reason. But it's really cool to be able to say that your wife played hockey as well. KT: Cristin also happens to be the sister to your former teammate and current Winnipeg Jet defenseman Mark Stuart. NT: (laughs) Yeah, she is. Nothing ever changes on the ice between us. He's such a competitive guy, and so am I, that when we get on the ice, even if we're brothers-in-law, it doesn't matter. We're still going to play and go hard against each other. Mark's been like that from the day I met him. We were roommates [with the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League] and we would get into it at practice and not talk for a couple of hours when we got home but then we'd be fine. On the ice we're opponents but after the game we're good again. KT: Is Dec. 7, when Winnipeg comes to Tampa, circled on the family calendar? NT: Oh yeah. Cristin's mom, dad and grandparents are coming to that one. It's always tough for Cristin and her family to figure out who to root for. They usually hope for a 1-1 game where we both score a goal and then it goes to a shootout. Everyone gets a point. That's what they're hoping for.
KT: You're captaining a team along with Teddy Purcell and Ryan Malone for Movember. How's that going? NT: It's going. It definitely looks interesting. I'm not the most attractive guy right now but it's for a great cause. You see every guy in all the highlights for all the games and a lot of guys have a mustache. It's a great cause and at the same time it's kind of fun to walk around with a mustache for a month. KT: What was your welcome-to-the-NHL moment? NT: My first game in Boston I remember being in the locker room and I remember very clearly Zdeno Chara coming over to me and saying, "Nate, this is the best League. You're not going to go any higher than this. You've made it." That was pretty cool. I thought to myself, wow, this is it. KT: Do you have any game-day superstitions? NT: When I get dressed before I get ready for a game I always put everything on the left first before the right. I've been doing it ever since I was playing minor hockey. Left always. Left first then right. I think I do it with my shoes too. It's weird. Rangers top line confident goals will come Pat Leonard (NY Daily News) TAMPA — If you build it, goals will come. That’s what Rick Nash, Brad Richards and Ryan Callahan are telling themselves, “Field of Dreams” style, on a top line that has been encouraging for the Rangers but unproductive, at least in a statistical sense. The trio has turned in three consecutive strong performances together since Nash’s return from a concussion that had sidelined him six weeks, even though they’ve only scored once in that span. Their offensive zone time has helped the Rangers (12-11-0) create and sustain momentum during wins in Dallas and Nashville, and they could be on the cusp of breaking out in Monday night’s clash with the Lightning (14-8-1). “We’re there. We’re close,” Callahan said Saturday night after a 2-0 shutout win in Nashville. “After every period, we’ve looked at each other and (said) we’re right there almost getting one. It’s just a matter of one going in the net for us, and then I think it’s gonna open up. We’re getting the opportunities, we’re getting the chances. “I’ve had a couple right on the doorstep. It’s fun playing with those two guys. They see the ice so well. I’m just trying to get to the front of the net, get some pucks for them.” The line’s only goal the last three games was Nash’s swooping first-period, power-play break-in off Callahan’s primary assist in Dallas on Thursday. Still, Richards and Co. have swung both of the last two games in New York’s favor with pivotal shifts. With the game tied 1-1 in Dallas Thursday, they turned the tide with a solid forecheck on the final shift of the second period and opened the third period with more puck possession. Chris Kreider then scored on the very next shift. Saturday night, in a 0-0 game with Nashville in the final minute of the first period, Richards’ line once again stole momentum with offensive zone time. Often, the consistent offense they created was the Rangers’ best defense in allowing only 17 Predators shots on goal, a season low for a Blueshirts opponent. “We had good long shifts in the ‘O’ zone where we wore them out and they didn’t have a lot of speed going through the neutral zone," defenseman Ryan McDonagh said Saturday. “We were able to stay up pretty good. We’ve talked a lot about that, our transition game and our gaps and spending time in their zone, and we did that very consistently (Saturday) night, which is a good sign.” The second half of Alain Vigneault’s top six, meanwhile, has been opportunistic in helping the Rangers win without Richards’ line filling the stat sheet. Derek Stepan (goal, assist), Kreider (goal, assist) and Mats Zuccarello (two assists) have combined for six points the past three games. Richards, Callahan and Nash combined for 10 shots on goal against Nashville, and Callahan should have scored on a beautiful, through-the-legs, backward pass from behind the net by Richards in the second period. They hope to convert those chances in Tampa on Monday after Sunday’s off-day.
“That was a great look,” Callahan said of Richards’ pass. “I put (the shot) where I wanted it. I don’t think the goalie sees it, but it hits his blocker. That’s the way it’s going right now. It happens, but we’ve just got to keep working.” FINAL PIECE OF THE PY Left wing Taylor Pyatt rejoined the Rangers in Tampa on Sunday. Pyatt has been out of the lineup since Nov. 8 with a concussion, but he’s been skating recently on his own in New York. His return will give the Rangers a completely healthy roster for the first time.
Rangers have Moore to love Brett Cyrgolis (NY Post)
TAMPA, Fla. — Maybe it’s a coincidence, maybe not. But young Rangers defenseman John Moore has suddenly come to life at the start of this five-game road trip, and his awakening perfectly coincides with the return of Michael Del Zotto to the lineup — as well as his spot alongside Moore on the third pair. It was Thursday in Dallas when Del Zotto returned from his three-game hiatus, being made a healthy scratch by coach Alain Vigneault in hopes of waking up the 23-year-old. Yet it was Moore who took most advantage, scoring his second goal of the season when he converted a great cross-ice pass from Derick Brassard and buried a third-period wrist shot, a goal that held up as the game winner in a 3-2 win over the Stars. “Can’t take too much credit for that goal — that was a hell of a pass from Brass,” Moore said at Friday’s practice preceding the Rangers 2-0 triumph over the Predators in Nashville on Saturday. “I teed off from the ladies’ tee there. Great screen, too. It’s one of those things where it feels good to help the team.” Moore, who turned 23 last Tuesday, has played every game this season, and yet was starting to look like a possibility to sit and watch as recently as last week. Without Del Zotto, he played those three games paired with the lumbering Justin Falk, a player who Vigneault touted as having a “safe game.” “I kind of got away from my game a little bit in the beginning part of the year,” said Moore, who was part of the trade last season that sent Marian Gaborik to Columbus. “It’s something the coaches have addressed with me and challenged me. When I’m skating and getting up in the offense, that’s when I’m at my best. It definitely felt good to see that one go in.” He wasn’t the only one. Vigneault knows he has a talent in Moore, and yet it has been one of the more challenging coaching situations he has run into in his first year in New York. Although Moore played well last season in the wake of the trade, now he has had time to settle in, and things are not going quite as swimmingly. “He’s one of our defenseman that I believe — when we talk about the ability to move the puck and skate the puck and get up in the play — he’s one of those guys that’s got more,” Vigneault said. “I don’t think when you play, you say, ‘I have to go out there and give more offense’ or ‘I have to be better defensively.’ You just go out and you try to play.” So it’s with Del Zotto, a very offensive-minded defenseman in his own right, that Moore has begun to excel. He played 11:36 in Nashville, and was actually the steadying defensive force of that pairing, as Del Zotto had a rather tumultuous go of it for the first two periods. And the Rangers, who have eked over the .500 mark at 12-11-0, are going to need Moore to continue to grow as a player and take advantage of opportunities, just as he did in Dallas. “Probably some of those possibilities or opportunities he didn’t see or realize and recognize them quick enough,” Vigneault said. “As you get more experienced, you can analyze things a little bit quicker and jump on them. Hopefully, that’s what he’ll be able to do for us.”
Forward Taylor Pyatt joined the team in Tampa, where the Rangers will meet the Lightning on Monday night, after missing the previous seven games due to a concussion sustained on a hit from the Blue Jackets’ Fedor Tyutin on Nov. 7. Pyatt has been skating in New York for the past couple days, and it’s uncertain if he’ll be ready to play on Monday. If and when Pyatt can go, the most likely candidate to come out would be Benoit Pouliot, who played a teamlow 8:48 on Saturday. J.T. Miller, the 20-year-old winger, has also been a healthy scratch for the past three games. Rangers’ Kreider looking to become a finisher Andrew Gross (Bergen Record)
TAMPA, Fla. – Establishing himself in the Rangers’ lineup has been more difficult than anticipated for Chris Kreider since the first-rounder joined the organization for the 2011 playoffs. But finally settled in a top-six forward role under new coach Alain Vigneault as the Rangers continue a five-game road trip tonight against the Lightning, the 22-year-old left wing isn’t looking for things to be easy. "You don’t want to feel comfortable or want to feel complacent," said Kreider, still considered an NHL rookie. "It’s the NHL so it doesn’t matter who the coach is, it’s not going to be easy to play or easy to play for someone. A good coach demands a lot out of you and pushes you to be better, so that’s not easy." Kreider snapped a nine-game goal-less streak in the third period of Thursday’s 3-2 win over Dallas. He has three goals and nine assists in 16 games since being recalled from Hartford (AHL) on Oct. 20. Like Kreider, the Rangers have struggled for offense for stretches this season and their 48 goals have them second to last in the league. But Kreider, who had five goals and two assists in the 2011 playoffs, shortly after leading Boston College to its second NCAA title in his three collegiate seasons, was initially struggling to create scoring chances this season despite the 6-foot3, 226-pounder obviously playing with more of a physical edge. "It’s gone from one end of the spectrum to the other," said Kreider, who had two goals and one assist in 23 regularseason games last season while playing with a bone chip in his ankle. "Before, I was having trouble getting myself in the right spots to get chances but, when I did, I’d be able to capitalize on them and, now, getting all sorts of chances and not being able to capitalize on them. Kreider has played 14 straight games on center Derek Stepan’s line with Mats Zuccarello. The two linemates have shown a knack for springing Kreider with passes to get him open coming down the wing. "The way he skates he puts himself in position and gets good looks every game and it’s something I think he’s learned, that he can be effective coming down the wing like that," Stepan said. "He’s starting to get it. He knows how he’s effective." BRIEF: Taylor Pyatt, who has missed seven games with a concussion but has been skating on his own since Tuesday, joined the Rangers in Tampa and will continue his recovery practicing with the team.
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Lightning’s focus on St. Louis – Damian Cristodero (Tampa Bay Times) Bolts to recognize St. Louis’ grand feat – Erik Erlendsson (Tampa Tribune) Tapped in: Thompson talks finding success in Tampa – Kathryn Tappen (nhl.com) Rangers top line confident goals will come – Pat Leonard (NY Daily News) Rangers have Moore to love – Brett Cyrgolis (NY Post) Rangers’ Kreider looking to become a finisher – Andrew Gross (Bergen Record)
Lightning’s focus on St. Louis Damian Cristodero (Tampa Bay Times)
TAMPA — Marty St. Louis has been through plenty of scoring slumps in his career. As he said Sunday, "I know I can get streaky." So the Lightning captain isn't overly concerned with his current skid, especially because he believes he is skating well and doing the right things on the ice. Still, St. Louis has just one goal in his past 12 games and is minus-7 in his past eight at a time Tampa Bay, without injured star Steven Stamkos, needs him to be at his best. Perhaps that is a bit unfair. It is a team game, and St. Louis isn't the only Lightning player missing from the score sheet. Teddy Purcell has one goal in 17 games. Ryan Malone has two in 17. But St. Louis' stature puts him in a special leadership position, especially with Tampa Bay (14-8-1) coming off a 0-31 road trip in which it was outscored 17-6. "My whole life I put pressure on myself," he said. "There's nobody that can put more pressure on me than myself. I think that's why I was able to play at the level that I am." That will be celebrated before tonight's game with the Rangers at the Tampa Bay Times Forum when St. Louis, 38, is presented with a silver stick to commemorate his 1,000th game, played Tuesday in Los Angeles. But then it is back to business. St. Louis — with eight goals and 21 points in 23 games, and whose average 21:13 of ice time is most among league right wings — acknowledged that business has gotten more difficult since Stamkos went down with a broken right leg Nov. 11 and opponents switched their primary defensive pressure to him. "Every night I'm playing against the top guys," St. Louis said. "It's a task that I'm used to, and you want that challenge. If you start making excuses, that's when you're going to take a longer time to get out of it. But if you keep pushing and expect good things, you should be all right." For St. Louis, like the rest of the Lightning, deliverance from an offensive slump starts with defense. Tampa Bay had gotten lazy in the defensive zone. The concept of defending as a five-man unit had slackened. Forwards were cheating toward the offensive zone. And after an emotional surge in two victories after Stamkos was hurt, there was the inevitable letdown. "A little reality set in for us, and we lost some games," coach Jon Cooper said. "Now we're spinning into that cycle of (Stamkos) hasn't played for us in a while. We understand how our team is and what we can do, and Marty falls into that, too." St. Louis helped invigorate Tampa Bay's team defense by playing what Cooper called "perhaps his best game in weeks" in Friday's 1-0 overtime loss to the Ducks. "He was humming," Cooper said. "We ran into a hot goalie (Jonas Hiller), but he was a big reason we played so well. He showed a lot of leadership. He was a big part of why we snuck out a point." "A lot of what we've been doing wrong is defensive, and that's what we've been working on," wing Alex Killorn said. Against the Ducks, St. Louis "was definitely a leader in that sense," he said. Still, a goal now and then would be nice. "At the end of the day," St. Louis said, "it's about results."
MOVES: With defenseman Radko Gudas (upper body) and left wing Malone (foot) questionable for tonight, wing Nikita Kucherov and defenseman Dmitry Korobov were called up from AHL Syracuse. Kucherov leads the Crunch with 13 goals and 24 points in 17 games. Korobov leads at plus-7. . Tonight Lightning vs. Rangers When/where: 7:30; Tampa Bay Times Forum TV/radio: Sun Sports; 970-AM Key stats: Lightning G Ben Bishop is 3-0-0 against the Rangers, with a 1.26 goals-against average and a .952 save percentage. … New York has earned at least a point in 100 consecutive games in which it entered the third period with a lead. … Tampa Bay has lost three straight to the Rangers by a combined score of 12-4. … New York G Cam Talbot is 5-0-0 in his past five starts, with a 1.18 goals-against average and a .954 save percentage. … The Lightning power play is in a 3-for-34 slump.
Bolts to recognize St. Louis’ grand feat Erik Erlendsson (Tampa Tribune)
TAMPA — It will be an emotional next few days for Tampa Bay Lightning captain Marty St. Louis. Before tonight’s game at The Forum, St. Louis will be recognized for appearing in his 1,000th career NHL game. That will happen with former teammate and fellow 2004 Stanley Cup champion Brad Richards on the opposing bench with the New York Rangers. After that, former Tampa Bay captain Vinny Lecavalier, a 12-year teammate of St. Louis, will return to Tampa for the first time since signing with the Philadelphia Flyers. But first will be the ceremony to honor St. Louis’ 1,000th game, which took place Tuesday in Los Angeles. The celebration will begin just after 7:30 p.m. “It’s exciting for me, it’s exciting for my family,’’ St. Louis said. During the ceremony, St. Louis will be presented with a commemorative silver stick by the league as well as gifts from the team and his teammates. St. Louis is expected to be joined on the ice by his wife, Heather, and their three children, along with Tampa Bay general manager Steve Yzerman and owner Jeff Vinik. St. Louis became the 286th player in league history, and just the 16th undrafted player, to accomplish the 1,000-game milestone. All but 69 games have come in a Lightning uniform. “I am proud of that accomplishment. Not many guys get to get there,’’ St. Louis said. “There are so many variables with injuries, people believing in you. So it’s an honor to be able to achieve that, especially, I think, the way I came into this league. I had to knock on a few doors and I had to make people believe that I could play in this league and at first it was pretty tough.’’ The week comes at a time when St. Louis is struggling offensively with just one goal in 12 games and just six assists in that span. But just as the team is starting to regain its form following a four-game winless stretch during a West Coast trip, St. Louis is starting to bring his game around as well. Though the offensive production has yet to follow, there are plenty of signs to show a breakthrough is coming.
“I thought he had his best game in weeks (Friday) against Anaheim. He was humming,’’ Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said. “He showed a lot of leadership after the San Jose game (on Thursday) and was a big reason why we got a point in Anaheim.’’ St. Louis can feel that as well and knows plenty of eyes will be on him to lead the way in the absence of Steven Stamkos. “I know I can get streaky, and it’s one of those situations and I’ve been through it before, so I try not to read into it too much,’’ St. Louis said. “I feel like I’m skating well. I’m playing with new people and trying to get used to them and they are trying to get used to me. “I put pressure on myself to help the team, and I know it’s a team game, but my whole career I’ve put that pressure on myself and there is nobody that can put more pressure on me than myself. That’s why I’ve been able to play at the level I have.’’
Tapped in: Thompson talks finding success in Tampa Kathryn Tappen (nhl.com)
Kathryn Tappan: Growing up in Alaska, what were some of the activities you participated in outside of hockey? Nate Thompson: In Alaska, fishing was the big thing. If I wasn’t a hockey player I’d be a fly fisherman. In the winter I actually skied and snowboarded. We also played hockey outside. I really enjoyed playing football. I was a running back and loved playing the game. I did so right up until I left to play hockey in Seattle [for the Thunderbirds in the Western Hockey League]. KT: What were some of the biggest challenges of playing hockey in Alaska? NT: I owe my parents a lot for allowing me to play hockey. We had some pretty good teams that I was a part of growing up with guys like Matt Carle and Brandon Dubinsky. We all played together growing up. We played against so many teams and had so much travel playing in a lot of tournaments. That’s how you got your exposure and that's how you got better. I owe my parents because it wasn't cheap and it was time-consuming. KT: Well, it paid off because you have solidified yourself as an NHL player on a darn good team. What’s been the key to the Lightning's success this season? NT: I think a little bit of everything. Having Coop [coach Jon Cooper] here, right away he had us all on the same page right from Day 1 of training camp. We have a good team, and had one in the past, I just think we underachieved. We have a core group of veterans here and then the young guys who have come up have played extremely well. They are all familiar with Coop because they played for him in the AHL. Ben Bishop has been unbelievable this year; that's always a plus when your goalie is your best player. We've done a good job responding well after a loss. KT: It wasn't always an easy ride for you. Drafted in 2003 by Boston in the sixth round, you were picked up on waivers twice, by the New York Islanders and then Tampa Bay. Was having patience a big part of those years as you developed as a pro? NT: There were a lot of ups and downs. Being put on waivers in general is a tough spot to be in, let alone twice. I was trying to find my way as a player. The Islanders gave me a chance and then that didn’t work out. As soon as I got to Tampa I really settled in. As I got older I really started to figure it all out. [General manager] Steve Yzerman has given me a great opportunity. Now as I'm a big part of the team and wearing a letter it's been such a great fit for me.
KT: Why has Tampa been the perfect fit? NT: That's a good question. Sometimes it just doesn't work out with a team like Boston or New York. It could be numbers, you may be a younger player and there are other guys there. Part of it is by chance. In Tampa the guys I've been put with have given me the opportunity to succeed in my role. KT: Steven Stamkos is not just your teammate -- he's your good friend. What was your reaction to his injury when you saw him on the ice? NT: I was scared. It's so hard to see a guy like that, especially Stammer, for him to not get up and skate off, I knew something was seriously wrong. More importantly I was worried about his health as a person. You have to put hockey aside and hope that he's OK. It was so tough to watch. But Stammer is a specimen, a freak, so I wouldn't be surprised if he's back a lot quicker than everyone thinks. KT: How has your role as a center changed in Stamkos’ absence? NT: It won't change a lot but there will be times where I will be called upon more with different situations, whether it's 4-on-4 or playing with the top-line guys for an extra shift in a game. I think we all are trying to respond. We can't sulk and feel sorry for ourselves because Stammer is hurt. We have to find a way to win without him. KT: The past two seasons you've participated in the World Championship. What is it like to wear the Team USA sweater? NT: It's an honor. Whenever I have a chance to play for Team USA it's a special feeling to represent your country. This past year when we won the bronze medal it was something I'll never forget. It's a great experience. KT: You got married in July. Cristin Stuart, a former standout on the Boston College women's hockey team, now is Mrs. Thompson. Is there friendly competition between you two on the ice? NT: (laughs) We skated together for the first time last year during the lockout when I was playing in Alaska. There was a little bit of competition. She put the skates on and she kept saying she was rusty but I disagreed. I thought she still looked pretty good. She's a great skater. Every now and then we talk about hockey but she's good about it and doesn't bring it up very often. She jokes that she's retired for a reason. But it's really cool to be able to say that your wife played hockey as well. KT: Cristin also happens to be the sister to your former teammate and current Winnipeg Jet defenseman Mark Stuart. NT: (laughs) Yeah, she is. Nothing ever changes on the ice between us. He's such a competitive guy, and so am I, that when we get on the ice, even if we're brothers-in-law, it doesn't matter. We're still going to play and go hard against each other. Mark's been like that from the day I met him. We were roommates [with the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League] and we would get into it at practice and not talk for a couple of hours when we got home but then we'd be fine. On the ice we're opponents but after the game we're good again. KT: Is Dec. 7, when Winnipeg comes to Tampa, circled on the family calendar? NT: Oh yeah. Cristin's mom, dad and grandparents are coming to that one. It's always tough for Cristin and her family to figure out who to root for. They usually hope for a 1-1 game where we both score a goal and then it goes to a shootout. Everyone gets a point. That's what they're hoping for.
KT: You're captaining a team along with Teddy Purcell and Ryan Malone for Movember. How's that going? NT: It's going. It definitely looks interesting. I'm not the most attractive guy right now but it's for a great cause. You see every guy in all the highlights for all the games and a lot of guys have a mustache. It's a great cause and at the same time it's kind of fun to walk around with a mustache for a month. KT: What was your welcome-to-the-NHL moment? NT: My first game in Boston I remember being in the locker room and I remember very clearly Zdeno Chara coming over to me and saying, "Nate, this is the best League. You're not going to go any higher than this. You've made it." That was pretty cool. I thought to myself, wow, this is it. KT: Do you have any game-day superstitions? NT: When I get dressed before I get ready for a game I always put everything on the left first before the right. I've been doing it ever since I was playing minor hockey. Left always. Left first then right. I think I do it with my shoes too. It's weird. Rangers top line confident goals will come Pat Leonard (NY Daily News) TAMPA — If you build it, goals will come. That’s what Rick Nash, Brad Richards and Ryan Callahan are telling themselves, “Field of Dreams” style, on a top line that has been encouraging for the Rangers but unproductive, at least in a statistical sense. The trio has turned in three consecutive strong performances together since Nash’s return from a concussion that had sidelined him six weeks, even though they’ve only scored once in that span. Their offensive zone time has helped the Rangers (12-11-0) create and sustain momentum during wins in Dallas and Nashville, and they could be on the cusp of breaking out in Monday night’s clash with the Lightning (14-8-1). “We’re there. We’re close,” Callahan said Saturday night after a 2-0 shutout win in Nashville. “After every period, we’ve looked at each other and (said) we’re right there almost getting one. It’s just a matter of one going in the net for us, and then I think it’s gonna open up. We’re getting the opportunities, we’re getting the chances. “I’ve had a couple right on the doorstep. It’s fun playing with those two guys. They see the ice so well. I’m just trying to get to the front of the net, get some pucks for them.” The line’s only goal the last three games was Nash’s swooping first-period, power-play break-in off Callahan’s primary assist in Dallas on Thursday. Still, Richards and Co. have swung both of the last two games in New York’s favor with pivotal shifts. With the game tied 1-1 in Dallas Thursday, they turned the tide with a solid forecheck on the final shift of the second period and opened the third period with more puck possession. Chris Kreider then scored on the very next shift. Saturday night, in a 0-0 game with Nashville in the final minute of the first period, Richards’ line once again stole momentum with offensive zone time. Often, the consistent offense they created was the Rangers’ best defense in allowing only 17 Predators shots on goal, a season low for a Blueshirts opponent. “We had good long shifts in the ‘O’ zone where we wore them out and they didn’t have a lot of speed going through the neutral zone," defenseman Ryan McDonagh said Saturday. “We were able to stay up pretty good. We’ve talked a lot about that, our transition game and our gaps and spending time in their zone, and we did that very consistently (Saturday) night, which is a good sign.” The second half of Alain Vigneault’s top six, meanwhile, has been opportunistic in helping the Rangers win without Richards’ line filling the stat sheet. Derek Stepan (goal, assist), Kreider (goal, assist) and Mats Zuccarello (two assists) have combined for six points the past three games. Richards, Callahan and Nash combined for 10 shots on goal against Nashville, and Callahan should have scored on a beautiful, through-the-legs, backward pass from behind the net by Richards in the second period. They hope to convert those chances in Tampa on Monday after Sunday’s off-day.
“That was a great look,” Callahan said of Richards’ pass. “I put (the shot) where I wanted it. I don’t think the goalie sees it, but it hits his blocker. That’s the way it’s going right now. It happens, but we’ve just got to keep working.” FINAL PIECE OF THE PY Left wing Taylor Pyatt rejoined the Rangers in Tampa on Sunday. Pyatt has been out of the lineup since Nov. 8 with a concussion, but he’s been skating recently on his own in New York. His return will give the Rangers a completely healthy roster for the first time.
Rangers have Moore to love Brett Cyrgolis (NY Post)
TAMPA, Fla. — Maybe it’s a coincidence, maybe not. But young Rangers defenseman John Moore has suddenly come to life at the start of this five-game road trip, and his awakening perfectly coincides with the return of Michael Del Zotto to the lineup — as well as his spot alongside Moore on the third pair. It was Thursday in Dallas when Del Zotto returned from his three-game hiatus, being made a healthy scratch by coach Alain Vigneault in hopes of waking up the 23-year-old. Yet it was Moore who took most advantage, scoring his second goal of the season when he converted a great cross-ice pass from Derick Brassard and buried a third-period wrist shot, a goal that held up as the game winner in a 3-2 win over the Stars. “Can’t take too much credit for that goal — that was a hell of a pass from Brass,” Moore said at Friday’s practice preceding the Rangers 2-0 triumph over the Predators in Nashville on Saturday. “I teed off from the ladies’ tee there. Great screen, too. It’s one of those things where it feels good to help the team.” Moore, who turned 23 last Tuesday, has played every game this season, and yet was starting to look like a possibility to sit and watch as recently as last week. Without Del Zotto, he played those three games paired with the lumbering Justin Falk, a player who Vigneault touted as having a “safe game.” “I kind of got away from my game a little bit in the beginning part of the year,” said Moore, who was part of the trade last season that sent Marian Gaborik to Columbus. “It’s something the coaches have addressed with me and challenged me. When I’m skating and getting up in the offense, that’s when I’m at my best. It definitely felt good to see that one go in.” He wasn’t the only one. Vigneault knows he has a talent in Moore, and yet it has been one of the more challenging coaching situations he has run into in his first year in New York. Although Moore played well last season in the wake of the trade, now he has had time to settle in, and things are not going quite as swimmingly. “He’s one of our defenseman that I believe — when we talk about the ability to move the puck and skate the puck and get up in the play — he’s one of those guys that’s got more,” Vigneault said. “I don’t think when you play, you say, ‘I have to go out there and give more offense’ or ‘I have to be better defensively.’ You just go out and you try to play.” So it’s with Del Zotto, a very offensive-minded defenseman in his own right, that Moore has begun to excel. He played 11:36 in Nashville, and was actually the steadying defensive force of that pairing, as Del Zotto had a rather tumultuous go of it for the first two periods. And the Rangers, who have eked over the .500 mark at 12-11-0, are going to need Moore to continue to grow as a player and take advantage of opportunities, just as he did in Dallas. “Probably some of those possibilities or opportunities he didn’t see or realize and recognize them quick enough,” Vigneault said. “As you get more experienced, you can analyze things a little bit quicker and jump on them. Hopefully, that’s what he’ll be able to do for us.”
Forward Taylor Pyatt joined the team in Tampa, where the Rangers will meet the Lightning on Monday night, after missing the previous seven games due to a concussion sustained on a hit from the Blue Jackets’ Fedor Tyutin on Nov. 7. Pyatt has been skating in New York for the past couple days, and it’s uncertain if he’ll be ready to play on Monday. If and when Pyatt can go, the most likely candidate to come out would be Benoit Pouliot, who played a teamlow 8:48 on Saturday. J.T. Miller, the 20-year-old winger, has also been a healthy scratch for the past three games. Rangers’ Kreider looking to become a finisher Andrew Gross (Bergen Record)
TAMPA, Fla. – Establishing himself in the Rangers’ lineup has been more difficult than anticipated for Chris Kreider since the first-rounder joined the organization for the 2011 playoffs. But finally settled in a top-six forward role under new coach Alain Vigneault as the Rangers continue a five-game road trip tonight against the Lightning, the 22-year-old left wing isn’t looking for things to be easy. "You don’t want to feel comfortable or want to feel complacent," said Kreider, still considered an NHL rookie. "It’s the NHL so it doesn’t matter who the coach is, it’s not going to be easy to play or easy to play for someone. A good coach demands a lot out of you and pushes you to be better, so that’s not easy." Kreider snapped a nine-game goal-less streak in the third period of Thursday’s 3-2 win over Dallas. He has three goals and nine assists in 16 games since being recalled from Hartford (AHL) on Oct. 20. Like Kreider, the Rangers have struggled for offense for stretches this season and their 48 goals have them second to last in the league. But Kreider, who had five goals and two assists in the 2011 playoffs, shortly after leading Boston College to its second NCAA title in his three collegiate seasons, was initially struggling to create scoring chances this season despite the 6-foot3, 226-pounder obviously playing with more of a physical edge. "It’s gone from one end of the spectrum to the other," said Kreider, who had two goals and one assist in 23 regularseason games last season while playing with a bone chip in his ankle. "Before, I was having trouble getting myself in the right spots to get chances but, when I did, I’d be able to capitalize on them and, now, getting all sorts of chances and not being able to capitalize on them. Kreider has played 14 straight games on center Derek Stepan’s line with Mats Zuccarello. The two linemates have shown a knack for springing Kreider with passes to get him open coming down the wing. "The way he skates he puts himself in position and gets good looks every game and it’s something I think he’s learned, that he can be effective coming down the wing like that," Stepan said. "He’s starting to get it. He knows how he’s effective." BRIEF: Taylor Pyatt, who has missed seven games with a concussion but has been skating on his own since Tuesday, joined the Rangers in Tampa and will continue his recovery practicing with the team.
