He’s Back…Vinny Leads The Way
WB Philp | Nov 17, 2009 | Comments 6
Vinny is back and playing at a high level.
Okay. I’m back and so are the amazing vanishing Lightning stars. Coach Rick Tocchet had to go all the way to the Arizona desert to find his three lost souls.
Last night versus the Coyotes, captain Vincent Lecavalier escaped from the NHL witness protection program and scored twice and added an assist. Alex Tanguay netted a goal and two assists while the much-maligned netminder Mike Smith suddenly found his mojo and stopped 30 of 31 shots in his first start in two weeks.
The Bolts beat the Coyotes 4-1 despite being badly out shot (a concern) 31-19, but Smith was outstanding in net, especially in the second period when he stopped all twelve of the shots the Yotes fired at him. I have been hard on Smitty, but he was the number one star on this night.
It was only the second game this season in which neither Steven Stamkos nor Ryan Malone scored. Going into the contest, the twosome had tallied 25 of the team’s 43 goals. It was also the first time that Lecavalier, Marty St. Louis and Tanguay have scored a goal in the same game this season.
Even this Vinny, Tanguay and Smith detractor was impressed with their play tonight. More balanced scoring equals playoff potential…stay tuned.
The victory extended the Lightning’s road streak to 3-0-1 and at 6-1-4 gave it points in 10 of its past 11 games.
The season is a quarter of the way over and the Bolts have accumulated the league average of 22 points so far.
What are your thoughts Boltheads? Is this where you predicted they would be?
Filed Under: Featured • NHL Teams • Tampa Bay Lightning
I haven’t watched the Bolts enough this season to make much of a judgement. But it’s about time he made his glorious return. Any comments from Lightning fans?
Thanks Adam! Lightning fans are hopelessly optimistic. They will complain about Vinny under their breathe, but at the first sign of life, he becomes the franchise again. They know that he is here for life and they have to accept whatever numbers he puts up. I don’t know where he musters up his motivation…He is the face of the franchise, doesn’t have to move…ever, has won a cup and will make $10 million for the next 12 seasons! As a fan, I root for him, but as an analyst, I wouldn’t count on him.
I am more than happy that Vinny finally had a multi goal game but he still needs to have a couple more before I say he is back. Even the 3rd or 4th liners have a good game every once in awhile and score 2 or 3. When Vinny has two of those game in a week I will say the old Vinny is back. For someone who is the face of the franchise he has been hiding in the mist of Stamkos for the better part of this season. He needs to not only step it up as a leader of the team but a leader on the ice with atleast a point a game….
Thanks for reading Tony! I agree 100% that Vinny must continue to play well. I don’t look so much at the numbers, but I watch to see if V4 is finishing his checks and moving well without the puck. Lately, he has done both of these and the residual of this hustle has been points. Earlier in the season he looked lost and bored on the ice. Maybe the message Tocchet is sending him is getting through. It certainly worked with Stamkos last season.
Keep reading and commenting!!
I am not on the Vinny wagon yet nor will I be for quite awhile. You would think that a guy who was supposedly very close to being traded before his GIGANTIC contract kicked in would play with a bit of a chip on his shoulder. This I have not seen. Vinny even when playing well doesn’t look like he is putting in much effort BUT even with that, it still doesn’t look to me like he has it right now. He can’t win a battle on the boards to save his life. His dangles don’t happen anymore. Vinny of old could have a one on one with any defenseman and at the very least get a shot off. Now he is just going to the outside and making a blind half ass pass to the middle… WEAK!
Hey, Vinny! Stop tanning all day and maybe work on your stick handling!
Thanks WB Philp for responding so fast! I will have to take your word for watching Vinny without the puck, where I live I dont get to watch many Lightning hockey games. I have always believed that a great hockey player is made by what they do when they don’t have the puck. I know when I watched the Washington game the other night and saw Ovie skate his heart out for every puck, and towards every man with the puck it is easy to see why he is the best in the NHL. I think Vinny has that potential to be that way he just needs to wake up and see that he can be that kind of leader….