Lightning Players Making An Impact At Olympic Games

Bugsy may be finding his scoring touch in Vancouver.

The Tampa Bay Lightning has been well represented at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Here’s what the Tampa Bay contingent has done so far, through the early preliminary rounds

Goaltender Antero Niittymaki has sat on the bench and watched team Finland go undefeated in two games.

Bolt’s defenseman Andrej Meszaros has not gotten on the scoreboard yet but is logging big minutes with team Slovakia playing alongside Bruins giant Zdeno Chara.

Although team Latvia is 0-3, Lightning prospect Martins Karsums has played over 45 minutes and has two assists.

Defenseman Mattias Ohlund scored his first goal of the season, not in a Lightning sweater, but in the three crowns Swedish jersey. Ohlund has played his usual stellar defense. He is blogging from the games at TampaBayLightning.com. Check it out.

Leading team USA with two goals and an assist in their two victories is none other than Lightning forward Ryan Malone. Although playing on the checking line, Malone has been a force on the ice. Malone hasn’t scored for the Bolts since January 21 against the Maple Leafs and he has two assists in his last ten games. Here’s hoping his Olympic awakening carries over into the Lightning season.

Preliminary round games continue through today, with the qualification playoffs beginning on Tuesday and ending with the Gold Medal game on Sunday, February 28.