Matt Smaby News

Mike Smith never has lacked for confidence, but even the Lightning goaltender admitted his solid three games on last week's road trip were needed.

To be honest, Mike Lundin said, he did not believe he would again play for the Lightning.

Considering it was supposed to be a minor inconvenience, the suspected right ankle injury of D Mattias Ohlund has been a major pain.

The Lightning weren't very good on the road early in the season, starting with a 6-3 loss at Atlanta in the season opener.

Some things just don't change, so it should come as no surprise that former Wild winger Stephane Veilleux is the Tampa Bay Lightning's reining pingpong champion.

Commissioner Gary Bettman said he planned to "chat" with Lightning co-owner Oren Koules during Monday's game with the Coyotes, but he offered little new concerning how or when the organization's ownership saga will end.

After a run of six consecutive starts, Antero Niittymaki will take a seat tonight when the Lightning visit Jobing.com Arena outside Phoenix tonight .

Ryan Craig and Matt Smaby re-assigned to Norfolk by the Lightning Though the announcement came on Monday with the move happening on Sunday, the Lightning has sent Ryan Craig and Matt Smaby back to Norfolk of the AHL.

Coach Rick Tocchet said he didn't know what to expect from David Hale after the defenseman was acquired in July from the Coyotes in the Radim Vrbata deal.

The league will study whether it should ban hits to the head. But Lightning coach Rick Tocchet said a better idea is eliminating the instigator rule, which penalizes players who intentionally start fights.

Paul Szczechura will make his return to the Lightning lineup tonight when Tampa Bay hosts Minnesota to open a two-game homestand.

After playing in 181 games with Tampa Bay since being called up during the 2005-06 season and registering 32 goals and 63 points, Craig was sent to the American Hockey League to start the season after not earning a roster spot out of training camp.

Vincent Lecavalier assisted on goals from Ryan Malone and Alex Tanguay in the opening period and the Tampa Bay Lightning skated to a 3-1 NHL victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night.

C Vinny Lecavalier said making the Canadian Olympic team for the 2010 Games in Vancouver is "very important to me." That is why Tuesday's game in Toronto, with Team Canada executive director Steve Yzerman in the stands, was so crucial.

Tampa Bay Lightning netminder Antero Niittymaki, left, makes a save on Toronto Maple Leafs forward Niklas Hagman, right, during second period NHL action on Tuesday, Nov.

Coach Rick Tocchet reiterated there could be roster changes in the not-so-distant future if the Lightning did not pick up its intensity, especially on the road.

As if returning to his hometown of Toronto wasn't enough for C Steven Stamkos , tonight's game with the Maple Leafs will be an Olympic audition.

14. With the schedule spread out and Tampa Bay playing four games in a two-week stretch at home, Niittymaki watched Mike Smith play the first three games of the homestand, with the Lightning going 2-0-1. But it was Niittymaki's play Saturday that ensured the Lightning would keep their stretch of seven games at home without a regulation loss intact ...

Backup G Antero Niittymaki, making his first start in two weeks due to the Lightning's light schedule, said it "felt like forever" since he had been in a game.

It was good enough for the league lead except that the Lightning center was 21 faceoffs shy of qualifying.