Matt Smaby News

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.

Faceoff: 4:30 p.m. today at St. Pete Times Forum. TV: Comcast SportsNet California.

Tampa Bay Lightning coach Rick Tocchet addressed the team after this morning's skate and promised to allocate playing time tonight against San Jose according to effort.

Had circumstances been different, Thursday's game would have included a notable encounter.

C Joe Pavelski , RW Torrey Mitchell , out. Lightning - D Matt Smaby , out. NEED TO KNOW: Tampa Bay is 13-11-2 all-time against the Sharks, but is 0-4-1 in the past five meetings.

Nothing really worked out today for those of us who like a good story. Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Kurtis Foster was scratched from tonight's game with the Sharks, and San Jose center Torrey Mitchell is on long-term injured reserve with tendinitis in his left knee and is not even with the team.

"You are not drawing too many penalties when you are chasing the puck," Konopka said.

James Wright knows he has to treat Thursday's game with the Sharks like any other, even if, really, it is not.

Ryan Malone is counting on a big 2010 even if he doesn't earn a spot on the United States' men's ice hockey team that will play at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

East Greenbush native Matt Lashoff figured this season would be the one to make his mark as a National Hockey League player.

Milan Michalek scored three times, including a pair of short-handed goals, Thursday night and the Ottawa Senators handed the Tampa Bay Lightning a 7-1 beating.

Blueliner Nick Holden is virtually all the way back in his recovery from mono. He practiced for an hour on Wednesday, and said he could have gone longer.

A film crew from Sweden followed the 18-year-old around Atlanta last weekend, returned to Philips Arena for Hedman's first career game and will be on hand Thursday when the Lightning play their home opener against New Jersey.