Bolts Punch Flyers in Mouth Win 4-0

TAMPA FLA — (RSE) The Tampa Bay Lightning (32-15-5) sent a message to conference leading Philadelphia Flyers (33-13-5) Tuesday night, that message; we are the best hockey team in the Eastern Conference.  The Lightning shut out the Flyers 4-0 behind a dominate performance in net by Dwayne Roloson as the Bolts net minder stopped 38 shots to earn his fourth shutout of the season. 

The win was the team’s 6^th in a row and pulls them within 2 points of the conference leaders. 

Coach Guy Boucher said after the game that “It’s not time to look ahead it far too early at this point, but it was a game that we measured ourselves.”

Dwayne Roloson was incredible tonight, right from the first shot he face he was under control in net.  When Roloson is playing like he did tonight the Bolts are the best team in the Eastern Conference and may be the best team in the NHL.   He gives them a stabilizing force in net which allows the team in front to be aggressive and take chances without the worry that a mistake will end up in there net.

Tampa Bay came out and punched Philadelphia right in the mouth to start the game, as the Lightning scored 2 goals in the first 1:21 of the game.  The first tally came on a nice give and go between Teddy Purcell and Vinnie Lecavalier with Purcell scoring his 9^th on the season just 19 seconds into the contest.

That line was not done, as Simon Gagne followed his own shot off the end boards which bounced out in the front of the net which found its way to the stick of Teddy Purcell who scored his 2^nd of the game and 10^th of the season and for Gagne it was his 2^nd assist of the game to catapult the Bolts out to a 2-0 lead.

The Bolts were not done in the first period as Steve Downie scored at the 14:24 of the period from Marty St Louis and Randy Jones.  The Flyers had seized a little momentum after back to back power plays against the Bolts, however the goal by Downie allowed the Bolts to take the 3-0 lead into the first intermission.

Bad line change capped off a night that the Flyers would like to forget, as Marty St Louis took advantage of the mistake and jumped on the puck and quickly fed Steven Stamkos which he roofed short side for his league leading 39^th goal of the season at 8:51 of the third for a 4-0 lead.[media-credit attachment_id=3975 name=”Getty Images” align=”alignright” width=”190″][/media-credit]

Tampa Bay continues it’s month long home stand Friday as division rival Washington Capitals come into the St Pete Times forum at 730pm.