Bolts Blown Out In Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, PA (Sports Network) – Evgeni Malkin scored seven seconds into the contest and the Pittsburgh Penguins never looked back in an 8-1 thrashing of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Chris Kunitz had the second hat trick of his career, Alex Goligoski had a goal and three assists, while Chris Conner and Tyler Kennedy each added a goal and an assist for the Penguins, who were coming off a 3-1 loss to Washington in the Winter Classic on New Year’s Day.

Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 31 shots for Pittsburgh, which came into the contest having dropped three of its last four.

Adam Hall scored the lone goal for the Lightning, who came into the game with just one regulation loss in their previous 12 games.

One day after blanking the Capitals in his Lightning debut, starter Dwayne Roloson allowed five goals on 23 shots to take the loss. Dan Ellis, who spelled Roloson in the first and was placed back in net for the third, allowed three goals on 18 shots.

Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby and Tampa’s Steven Stamkos, the top two in goals and points in the NHL, combined for just one point, an assist from Crosby.

The hosts created a nightmare for the Bolts right from the drop of the puck, seizing control with a five-goal first period.

Tampa won the opening faceoff back to the right wing, but a pass back to the defender was picked off by Malkin, who skated in on a breakaway where he snapped a shot home from the right side at just the seven-second mark.

Just over two minutes later, Ben Lovejoy sent a shot on net from the right point that hit off the skate of Conner for a 2-0 lead.

Kennedy got on the scoresheet at the 7:17 mark of the first when he skated across the Tampa zone, waited till he got to the right side, and sent a low shot that hopped off the stick of a defender and trickled in.

That prompted a goaltender change, but it didn’t help as Kunitz hit the back of the net on the first shot Ellis encountered just 25 seconds after the Kennedy goal.

On the power play, the Pens made it a 5-0 game with 1:04 to play in the first when a slap shot by Goligoski at the left point changed direction off Kunitz and slid in.

The Pens continued to pour it on in the second as Mark Letestu scored on a lifted backhander that knocked the water bottle off the net at the 12:54 mark and Kunitz completed the hat trick with 11 seconds left in the middle frame.

To add insult to injury, Stamkos was awarded a penalty shot earlier in the second period, but he fell down on the attempt before getting a shot off.

Hall scored 2:25 into the third to relieve the visitors of the burden of a shutout loss, but it was countered by Goligoski just over a minute later to account for the final score.

Game Notes

It was a season high in goals for by Pittsburgh and tied a season high in goals against for Tampa Bay…Pittsburgh plays at Montreal on Thursday…Tampa continues its four-game road trip in Ottawa on Saturday…Pittsburgh has won two of the three meetings with Tampa this season. These teams will meet for the final time in the regular season on March 31 in Tampa Bay…The Penguins’ record for fastest goal to start a game is six seconds by Jean Pronovost in 1976.

01/05 22:35:01 ET

Washington, DC (Sports Network) – Martin St. Louis tallied with 2:06 left in overtime to lift Tampa Bay over Washington, 1-0, at Verizon Center.

Vinny Lecavalier unloaded a shot from the right circle that Semyon Varlamov kicked out with his pad, but the rebound came out to St. Louis, who made no mistake to the half-open net for the game-winner.

Making his Tampa debut after being dealt from the Islanders on Saturday, Dwayne Roloson stopped all 34 shots he faced for the Lightning, who took over sole possession of first place in the Southeast Division with their eighth win in 10 games.

Varlamov took the loss despite 37 stops for the Capitals, who had won five of six coming in and who trail the Bolts by two points for the division lead.

01/04 21:44:11 ET

The Lightning have acquired veteran goalie Dwayne Roloson from the New York Islanders in exchange for defenseman Ty Wishart. The immediate question is how this move affects the tandem of Dan Ellis and Mike Smith and is womething that will probably be resolved sooner than later. Keep an eye on Raw Charge for up-to-the-minute analysis as this situation develops.

Official team press release:

LIGHTNING ACQUIRE G DWAYNE ROLOSON FROM ISLANDERS

D Ty Wishart Sent to Long Island

TAMPA BAY – The Tampa Bay Lightning have acquired goaltender Dwayne Roloson from the New York Islanders in exchange for defenseman Ty Wishart tonight, Vice President and General Manager Steve Yzerman announced.

“In this trade we give up a promising, former first-round pick. We wish him luck in the Islanders organization,” Yzerman said. “In Roloson we have acquired a proven, veteran goaltender who will provide stability in net.”

Roloson, 6-foot-1, 170 pounds, has played in 20 games with the Islanders this season, posting a 6-13-1 record, a .916 save percentage and a 2.64 goals-against average. He leads all New York goaltenders each category as well as games played.

A native of Simcoe , Ontario , Roloson has played in 532 career NHL games, posting a career 2.66 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage. He was named to the 2004 NHL All-Star Game. Roloson has played in 33 career Stanley Cup Playoff games, posting an 18-12 record with a .915 save percentage and a 2.56 goals-against average.

Roloson was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Calgary Flames on July 4, 1994.

Final Score: Tampa Bay 2, NY Rangers 1 (OT)

Tampa, FL (Sports Network) – Nate Thompson scored 19 seconds into overtime as the Tampa Bay Lightning took a 2-1 win over the New York Rangers at St. Pete Times Forum.

In the extra session, Dana Tyrell caught up to the puck in the deep left corner and threw it out front. The disc was slowed down by a sliding New York defender, but it had enough on it to get to the right side where Thompson slammed it home for the win.

“It was an exciting feeling,” said Tyrell on the goal. “He’s set up my goals this year and I was lucky enough to set him up for once. It kind of squeaked through the defenseman and he was able to get it in.”

Tyrell scored in the first period off an assist from Thompson for the Lightning, winners in four of their last five games.

Cedrick Desjardins, who made 27 saves in a 4-1 win over Montreal on Thursday in his NHL debut, stopped 34 shots to earn the victory.

“I was in the zone and once we start the game I just go with it,” said Desjardins. “The team did a real good job in letting me see the puck and getting any rebounds out of the way.”

Henrik Lundqvist stopped 31-of-33 shots to take the tough-luck loss for the Rangers, who had won their previous two coming into the contest.

New York pulled Lundqvist late in the game for the extra attacker and was able to tie it as Dan Girardi sent a pass from the right boards to the front where a wide open Marian Gaborik wristed it between the pads of Desjardins with 46 seconds left in regulation.

“It was a big point to get,” said New York head coach John Tortorella. “We stayed with it and were able to stay patient and tie it up. But this is going to get tougher and tougher as the season moves on.”

Tyrell scored with 6:57 left in the first to give Tampa the lead. He skated with the puck down the right wing and tried to stickhandle across the goalmouth, but lost control of the puck. However, it still fooled Lundqvist and slid into the net for a 1-0 lead.

Desjardins stopped seven shots in the first period then turned aside 13 in the middle stanza. Lundqvist kept pace in the second by stopping all 15 shots he faced to keep it a one-goal game.

Game Notes

The Rangers play in Florida on Sunday…Tampa plays in Washington on Tuesday…The Lightning have taken all three matchups with the Rangers this season…Lightning forward Steven Stamkos had a four-game goal scoring streak snapped…After the game, the Lightning acquired goaltender Dwayne Roloson from the New York Islanders in exchange for defenseman Ty Wishart.

01/01 23:28:54 ET