Zenon Konopka News

Steven Stamkos told himself before Sunday's game with the Thrashers he was going to be involved from the first shift.

Todd Fedoruk, left, has interesting body art and a big family. [DANIEL WALLACE Times] No friends on ice Not many are courageous enough to take on the Wild's Derek Boogaard , below, a 6-foot-8, 257-pound mountain known as a devastating puncher.

Nitti on Niitty: Gangster Frank is on goalie Antero's mask. [DANIEL WALLACE Times] Keeping suspect company Lightning G Antero Niittymaki has shunned the artistic interpretations of dragons and bikini-clad women generally found on the side of goaltenders' masks for one of the usual suspects: former Chicago gangster Frank Nitti .

Tampa Bay coach Rick Tocchet hopes his team learned an important lesson. Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos celebrates with teammate Zenon Konopka after scoring the game-winning goal in a shootout against the Minnesota Wild during an NHL hockey game Thursday, Nov.

Being the proprietor of a local restaurant/bar while playing for the 67's was not without its perks for Zenon Konopka.

"Low maintenance" is how his parents, Lynne and Lorne, described him. "Boring but good," Lynne said, laughing.

Asked Friday about the difference between playing in North America and Europe, the Lightning 's rookie defenseman and Swedish native talked about the quicker NHL game and making faster decisions.

Hedman skated Monday for the first time since getting drilled by Chris Neil in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Senators, but the effects of getting his heart rate up won't be fully known until after he gets a night of sleep.

I've written a few times that one of the coolest thing about sports is that the actual end results of most games and personnel decisions are pretty cut and dried.

OTTAWA That Tampa Bay lost a fifth overtime/shootout decision Thursday, this time 3-2 to the Senators on a Jason Spezza power-play goal with 42.4 seconds left in OT, turned out to be more of a sidebar to the Chris Neil sideshow.

The Globe and Mail reported Steve Yzerman, Team Canada's executive director, will be at the Air Canada Centre to scout Stamkos and Lightning teammates Marty St.

The shot was a blur, and when it hit the net, you knew you had seen something special.

Zenon Konopka has won 69.2 percent of his faceoffs, good enough for the league lead except that the Lightning center is 22 faceoffs short of qualifying.

For the second straight game, the Ottawa Senators penalty killers were called upon to save the day.

When Rick Tocchet feels the need for a change of pace, the Lightning coach simply lets the dogs out.

Should Fantasy owners trade Marian Gaborik before injury strikes? Man, this is a tough one.

Milan Michalek had his first three-goal game in the NHL, scoring twice short-handed and once on a power play in the Ottawa Senators' 7-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night.

Since dropping a pair of games on a recent two-game road trip, the last of which resulted in a tongue-lashing from management, the Lightning have endured a few days of intense practice and workouts.

Tampa Bay Lightning star Vinny Lecavalier is well aware that he hasn't potted a puck into the back of the net to this point in the season.

THE GAME: Almost as good as Milan Michalek's hat trick was the third-period beating Matt Carkner gave Steve Downie.