Forget Regina

Rookie Carter Ashton Impressed

This one was a “stinker.” The Lightning traveled to Regina, Saskatchewan and played an emotionless game in front of  7,000 fans at the Brandt Centre. The Ottawa Senators beat the Bolts 3-1, out shooting them 29-12. Carter Ashton played well and scored the only Lightning goal five minutes into the second period off of a terrific cross ice pass from Steve Downie. I thought Ashton and Brett McLean were the only standout skaters on a lifeless Lightning squad. Goalie Antero Niittymaki was razor sharp, saving 18 of 20 shots in 40 minutes of play. Without Niitty’s stellar play, the score would have been much worse.

The Lightning rested all of their stars, but defenseman Matt Walker made his Bolt debut and was not a factor in the game.

The Lightning boarded a plane directly after the game. They will travel to Everett, Washington to play the Phoenix Coyotes tomorrow night.

Nuts and bolts

–According to TampaBay.com NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly confirmed billionaire real estate mogul Jeff Greene, working with Oren Koules to buy out co-owner Len Barrie, filed a league ownership application. The NHL has not said the same about Anthony Sansone, the St. Louis real estate developer working with Barrie to buy out Koules. Greene has very deep pockets and is a savvy businessman. I think this is a great fit with Koules and will solidify the ownership situation…finally!

–The Lauri Tukonen experiment is over as he was reassigned to Lukka Ruoma of the Finnish elite league, reducing the training camp roster to 41.

–Lightning GM Brian Lawton has taken over the GM duties for AHL Norfolk. After one season on the job in which the Admirals missed the playoffs and with two years left on his contract, actor/GM Mike Butters was reassigned as a pro scout.