Grahame, Part II

Here's a little  more from Johnny Grahame, who spoke to me before the game. He said he believes the Lightning could have been a little more supportive of him during the playoffs.

"When you're in a team sport, the good teams are families. Anybody who has been part of a good family will say support is a big part of it. Whatever they did is what they did. I think support is a big thing. It probably could have been a little better.''

But he also said, "No one would have liked to have played better, especially in the playoffs, than me. You take that learning experience and move on.''

I like Johnny personally. He was always very accommodating to me. He had a great opportunity with the Lightning but did not rise enough times to the challenge.I recall one time during the Cup season when Khabibulin was struggling, they told Grahame point blank, beat the Islanders and the No. 1 job is yours. He went out and played one of the worst games of the year.

He was kind of like that. That's why I believe he is better suited as a backup who can come in in short bursts and steal you some games. He did that many times during the Cup season.

   

   

Comments

[keith baxter]

Johnny was only a part of last year's ineptness.(ok a big part) Didnt he equal Habby's consecutive win streak of 8 or 9? Goalies always get too much credit when things are good and too much criticism during lesser times. Johnny is in the best role for him now, a backup.He just never seemed to take the bull by the horns as #1. I do remember he was pretty darn good during the cup run in that capacity.
Meantime, can someone please win us a game? Big three, who.............?

I'M over all the potshots at Johnny. Where any of you at the same games I was. No defense and screening your goalies don't lead to success. The does lie with the coaching as well as the players so don't let Torts off the hook. It's so easy to turf the losses to other people. A good coach does not publiclly denounce their goalie as Torts did THE CANADIANS GOT IT RIGHT!!