Boltsmag is proud to provide the fans with a central multimedia repository of video clips from the past of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Simply right click on a link and select “Save Target As” to download the clip to your computer.

1998 -
Vincent Lecavalier - Goal #1 -10/25/1998

Lecavalier PPG #1 — 11/06/1998

2005-06
Stanley Cup Banner raising (provided by the St. Petersburg Times) — 10/05/2005

Vaclav Prospal’s 1st goal of 2005 — 10/05/2005 versus Carolina

Corey Sarich vs. Tom Kostopoulos 1-17-2006 (Lightning vs. LA Kings) with special thanks to David SInger and Hockeyfights.com

Ruslan Fedotenko GWG in OT 1-26-2006 versus New Jersey

If you have a Lightning multimedia clip that you would like to share with Lightning fans, please email me at webmaster at Boltsmag.com with an email titled “Multimedia Movie” and tell me what you have that you wish to share. You can also contact me through the Boltsmag Contact page as several other options (instant message) are provided there for getting in touch with me.

A big thank you for helping me start this archive goes to Hockey Rants Jes Golbez who provided the two Lecavalier media clips to begin this repository.

I want the Instigator back

You know, sometimes I don’t agree witht he tact that John Tortorella and Jay Feater want to take with the franchise. Of course they proved me wrong in 2002-03 when they sent down SWhane WIllis and kept Vaclav Prospal after the two players had identical trainign camps. They also proved me wrong in 2003-04 when they wrote off prospects early on in camp to give focus to the projected starters.

This time I have a legit beef.

The team is now contimplating playing five defensemen instead of six, spreading out defensive responsibilities to the returning defensive starters.

But Tortorella doesn’t feel comfortable turning over major minutes to either 19-year-old Andy Rogers or Timo Helbling, 24. Neither has played in the NHL.

“Right now, I’m still not certain we have a sixth defenseman,” Tortorella said. “This coaching staff has some real concerns about playing a 19-year-old on defense. And Helbling never has played in the NHL.

“And I don’t mean this as disrespect to them. They have talent. But I’m not sure it’s good for their development to be rushed into the lineup. So I want to do what’s best for not only the NHL team, but also what is best for these two kids.”

I can understand wanting to nto rush Andy Rogers into things and can understand if we demote him to the juniors. I also understand wanting to ween new guys into the system but I don’t exactly like the idea of treating Timo Hebling like he’s a retard and can’t play the game. Yes, he’s only played one year in North America but — newsflash! — there are a number of players who haven’t played in a year participating in NHL hockey this year! You want to break a European defensiveman into the league? Now’s the time.

If the Bolts are looking for another defensiveman and shopping about on the waiver wire or through trade channels - there hasn’t been much open speculation besides through the local media that they were looking. I think they already have defenseman #6 and should just put some faith in the guy.

Endeth the Preseason with another loss, the Lightning have been shut-out by the injured Panthers 4-0…

At least this time the Lightning were able to muster more than a handful of shots — notching 32 during the game and guess what? They were re-introduced to the brick wall known as Roberto Luongo.

Of coruse, seeing John Grahame give up 4 goals on 21 shots does not inspire confidence. Iin this game that was fortunately hidden from view on a NFL Sunday, the Lightning’s formerly deadly powerplay also went 0-13.

Andy Rogers was scratched while Timo Hebling started.

Yeah, yeah… I know, it’s pre-season…

Or At least it was… Past tense. Post-humanous and all that jazz. From here on in, they count.

I want to know if I’m the only one troubled by the length of the preseason this year — this year specifically?

In most pre-seasons we complain about the length because most players are conditioned and ready to go and there aren’t many or any adjustments they need to make to their playing style for the upcoming season… Just a few conditioning tests, a few scrimages to get their heads in the game, a few pre-season games and we’re back in action less than a month later.

How is this case different? I thought that was glaringly obvious to every hockey fan out there? The league has been on hiatus for a year and players have played under different systems in different leagues with some not playing at all. There are a plethora of new rules and adjusting playstyles shouldn’t be an entirely in-season thing…

You have an issue of conditioning, you have an issue of the rules, you also have teams implementing new systems (though that shouldn’t earn the teams extra time) … Why did you see only a week of workouts and scrimages before the pre-season games started? The Players should know they need more than a week — for this year and this year alone — to get ready for the start of the season to not only get in shape but grasp what’s new and what are no-nos now. New rules need to be driven home into game play not just for the sake of improving the game but keeping the games from being penalty-fests like early pre-season games had been, where players continued to use illegal styles of play that resulted in a ton of penalty whsitles.

Don’t take this as if I was fine without NHL action the last year and didn’t think it was necessary to get the game back ASAP — but still, how fast is too fast?