Ryan Malone is after bigger goals, not individual ones

Poor Ryan Malone just can’t get to celebrate a goal for very long. His four-game goals-scoring streak (which ties a career-high) has coincided with the Lightning’s four-game losing streak and although he’s now second only to Vincent Lecavalier (10) among Lighting scorers, he never feels much like talking about individual feats after a loss. And interim coach Rick Tocchet loves it. He sees a team leader in the first-year Lightning.
“What I like about him is he’s not happy right now,” he said.

Comments

[Patrick]

Mike13 - heck yeah. I didn't see the skate hit his head at first. I was thinking he had blown a groin muscle or something going side to side like that. I was actually relieved when I saw that he had just been kicked in the head. I was thinking minor concussion at that point. Major relief though when they came back from commercial and he was up.

I wonder if Feaster is enjoying watching him play this year.

[Herb]

Thanks PD! I plan to go but like the Bolts captain said last year, "it's hard to get up for a game" when they are so bad. I am going because my wife's birthday is Saturday and I plan to go out to dinner with her instead of the game against the No Cup Buffalo Sabres.

[Mike13]

Did anyone else's heart skip a beat when Smith got shaken up when Vaclav's skate hit him in the head? We are soooooo lucky that he didn't become yet another starting goalie to go out with an injury this season.

[Coach Bill]

Hockeytalkie- Sorry I missed the game last night. Had to read the box score to follow the game ( SOG per period,times of goals vs. penalties,etc.) Sounded like a good game. I agree with your optomism McGz and Flasher. Patrick, may it's Malone who should get the C. Happy B-Day,Herb. Any of you guys coming to the next Happy Hour on Dec 18th @ Shots (6-7:30)?

[hockeytalkie]

anyone going to TBL/BOS tomorrow? i'll be late b/c of my 6 year old's soccer game. can you blame me, i've gotta see at least one team that knows how to score :-)

all the VS guys were raving about smitty, even in the studio post game. i wonder if he can last though. we've had only ONE GAME so far where the opponent has taken less than 30 shots! it's like a flashback of Cujo when he was in st. louis in the mid 1990s; 35-40 saves every night. say what you want, but the old guard did know how to get high in the shooting lanes and keep those shots from getting through.

[ajax]

VL4 did have a good game. The fact that we notice is not a very good thing. I am convinced just by some of his short shifts that he is not game shape.
I just got finished watching SJ destroy Toronto. Want to hear something scarry. Vlasic is playing on the first team PPlay, at least he did the whole night tonight, at age 21 and Boyle was with the second unit. Danny Boyle on the 2nd team PPlay shows you what depth the Sharks have. The one forward on the PPlay is Setoguchi, another 21 yr old kid with 29 points making 750k a year. They tied an NHL record tonight with 43 points in their first 25 games. Yeah folks I think the verdict is in. Dan Boyle is a very good player that made a very very good team better. The announcer said going back to last year in regular season games, get this... San Jose is 39-5-3 in their last 47 games. WOWSERS.

[Patrick]

Let's give the cowboys credit for at least one good move - Ryan Malone. I remember last season when we had nothing to look forward to but free agency and cap space, Malone was the one forward I really wanted the lightning to get. He's already exceeding my expectations. And they did their best to ensure they would get him to by trading for the rights to negotiate with him before anyone else. That was a risky move, but maybe it actually mattered to him. Well, that and the money. But anyway, what a great pickup.

Am I the only one that saw more effort, hustle and determination out of Vinny tonight than any other game I have seen this season? He didn't dominate the stats, but for once, he looked alive. I hope he keeps it maintains it and is not just going to work like that for cities like philly and monty. Maybe he really has just been shaking off the surgery rust.

My new prediction for this team is that it's not going to come together until the second half the season. They will actually put together some win streaks, but we'll probably be far out of the playoff picture. Unless Smith gets injured of course. Sooner or later, people are going to stop missing open nets and hitting posts. And with the callups, it looks like Tocchet is going to keep tinkering until something works.

[PD]

If he plays smart, IF, he's Tocchets kind of grinder.

[ajax]

Flasher, we have all those long passes for a reason, skating forward is no where near a natural instinct for our D. So often they just stand there and then you see the look on their face. OH, I guess I should skate forward. Duh, always about 2 seconds and 12 feet away from where you should of been. I think Tocchet is preaching real real hard about turning and breaking out. I am confident he will preach it, I am also kinda sure we have 2-3 guys back there that can not do it at this level. Tocchet is also preaching real real hard about garbage goals and I think he will not give up. At least the kids they brought up tongiht were willing to mix it up. The PK, I said a month ago it was teetering on the brink of dissasster. 4 guys in a passive box. Malone is a very good penalty killer I might add. Malone is a very good player I might add. Malone would find minutes on any team in the league with his all around game. Good pick-up cowboys!! I had to be a bit positive before I go nighty night. I see Vrbata Gratton and Roberts being shopped as we speak. Just feel it in my bones. Someone will want that scoring machine Vrbata, no?? Har Har

[Boltflasher]

Downie probably earned himself a roster spot for awhile (#3 star of the game, too)

[PD]

Happy BD Herb!

Go to the game, you paid good money for those tickets.
Just watch/appreciate the little things that Bruins do well, especially getting the puck out of their end quickly and consistently.

Enjoy Thomas in goal too if they bother playing him. Likely Vezina winner.

It will be much more pleasant for you cuz in the end it doesnt matter this years TBL is not playoff ready.

[Boltflasher]

As far as the Bruins on Thurs...they've (BOS)got to lose sometime,...right?

[Boltflasher]

I saw a game dominated by the Bolts 5on5 but given away by poor PK and inability to put it in the net with the man advantage. At least tonight they got some shots on goal while on the PP but they still are not going to the net like they need to and STILL want to make that perfect pass...Tocchet's got to be pulling his hair out!...

The Versus commentators even noted how TB is still trying to live off of the 3 zone pass...

The Bolts should replay the Philly PK and PP over and over and mimic what they see on the video, during practice till they are doing it in their sleep...

[McGz]

They did play better as the game went on, at least we got a point out of it. Smith kept them in the game all night, we missed a lot of chances, Stamkos hit the post and Philly is top ten in PP and PK, adding a SH goal. Lightning need to keep plugging away. I wouldn't be mad at a top five pick this year.

[Herb]

I over estimated in the wins dept. it seems (21) and underestimated the OTL/SOL totals (15) in our predictions for the Bolts record at the end of the season. If the Bolts win 20, they will be lucky. This team sucks for air, especially in the special teams category. The PP is a joke and the PK is the worst I have seen in years for any team in the league. I am such a GOSH DARN FOOL for buying season tickets. I don't want to waste my birthday by seeing these bums get pummeled by the Bruins on Thursday but I paid for the crap so I will go. I will take my STH shopping days coupon to the Premium Services Lounge and tear it up and give it to them to throw away.

[PD]

Hockey I gather you missed the 1st half of the game, nothing to write home about or build on tonight.

[hockeytalkie]

is it too late to change my prediction to 21 OTLs. this is getting redic.

i missed the 1st period but, i guess my spin (as a homer) is that at least they're starting to compete. more games like this and NYR last week and the boat will start to right itself a bit more. frustrating as a bolts fan to see us lose again of course, but maybe they ACTUALLY are starting to find an identity.

ajax, flasher, bill... what do think? what did you see? i thought ranger and meszaros played much better tonight.

[McGz]

Even the old lady said the boys looked lazy and were just earning a paycheck out there. She doesn't even watch hockey. Pretty accurate if you ask me.

[PD]

No Kidding they were on the power play for half a period straight and weren't even a threat.

[McGz]

Good game by Malone, at least he was mixing it up all night. You can't win em all but it would be nice to win one!

[McGz]

Good game, BS penalty in OT, Sh!tty PK all game.

[Coach Bill]

Casper- It's NOT a bad idea. It works! I think. Let's do it!( Like we have any real imput).

[Oscar]

I like that thought. It won't be popular, but I like it.

[bingo]

Malone - Plays every game. Is in the crease taking and giving the hits. Comes back on 'D' get's in the face of players on the bench and LOVES the game of Hockey. He is IMHO the Captain, Vinny should give it up and let the vocal one take the ring.