Lightning vs. Blues had a plethora of opportunities for the Lightning (and what ever happened to tight officiating, Gary Bettman?) but going into the 3rd period the Bolts were trailing 3-2 to a morbid Blues team that seems to headed for the first non-playoff team in 25 seasons.

Early in the third, I start thinking about how bad a loss would be in this case. This is a rested Lightning team that us is 8-1-1 in their last ten… 3 points behind Carolina for the Southeast division lead… We’re not supposed to lose games like these! Top of your game you fall apart against someone like this?

My mind wandered from the game as the Lightning fought to score against Patrick Lalime… It was Chuck Berry and the sounds of parody…

Well, early in the mornin’ I’m a-givin’ you a warnin’
don’t you step on the Blues suede shoes.
Hey diddle diddle, they be playin’ their fiddle,
and ain’t got nothin’ to lose.
Roll Over Lecavalier and tell Artyuhkin the news.

OK, that wasn’t it exactly but the Roll over Lecavalier line was definately in there and reference to the Blues… I was arguing with Evgeny’s name or Dmitry Afanasenkov’s and…

GOAL!!!

Tim Taylor punches one in and all of a sudden this game is tied. Would it still be ridiculous if the Lightning lost to this team? You bet your ass, but the effort in the third period — from around the time of Taylor’s goal and on, erased the worry that there would be a humiliating loss in the cards.

And then Mr. Hart Trophy himself erased the possibility completely. Martin St. Louis and his broken finger tip fired a shot from under the top faceoff circle and it resulted in what would be the game winning goal.

And all of a sudden I feel like an idiot for thinking parody instead of hockey… Of course the Lightning play in the first period also seemed to be passed over by those thoughts of pessimism by myself. Shot after shot, scoring chance after scoring chance, this game had a lot of promise but that score being tied and trailing for so long was a sore spot.

Freddie Modin had the opening goal for the Lightning and would later notch an assist. Those were his first points in two games and he continues to play en fuego. Ruslan Fedotenko also scored — twice — to give him 8 on the season. His first goal during the second period — five hole on Lalime — mades sure Lightning fans knew not to give up just yet. He also scored on the empty net late in the third.

At any rate, the Lightning capitalize once again and find a way to win. They improve to 9-0-1 in the last 10 and depending on Carolina’s performance out west tonight, may be one point away from regaining the top spot in the Southeast.