Game 20: New Jersey at Tampa Bay

Tampa Bay lost to New Jersey 7-3. And if it hadn't been for Prospal setting up a goal in the middle of the second, and Malone converting a penalty shot, then it would've been a lot uglier score. They were lucky that they weren't shut out, frankly.

The thing I can't quite wrap my head around, tho, is how Prospal and Vrbata both ended up a +1 on the night. All of those seven goals by the Devils were even strength. Malone and Lecavalier both ended up -4 for the game.

+/- has been getting some discussion lately as to whether or not it's a legitimate stat. I sort of think it is, but it's an incomplete stat. There should also be a separate categories of +/- for both power play and shorthanded situations. Only with all three areas covered can you really get a clear picture of how responsible defensively a player truly is. It doesn't tell you a lot just covering the even strength situations. Unless it's a game like this one where all of the goals were even strength - even the Lightning's.

This game was a continuation of the last two periods of the previous game. They all collectively had that deer in the headlights look, and weren't really in the game mentally. That could've been because of the unusual start time for the game, I suppose.

But it makes me wonder if any changes in the dressing room is making them jumpy. Two guys were called up from the minors, and even tho they were Ramo and Heward - both guys who were with the team at training camp - it was still a change. Or maybe it was Smith not suiting up that rattled them. Any way you slice it, it's starting to look like they're a little fragile right now.

They allowed 45 shots on goal, Kolzig got shelled for 5 goals, and Lecavalier, St. Louis, and Prospal had a combined total of 5 shots on goal. The only bright spot was the fact that they only got two penalties - although one was for too many men on the ice. That's still a result of sloppy thinking.

Now, what everyone's waiting for - the third jerseys. Over all, I liked them. I don't really care for the word "Bolts" down the front, since I would've liked to have seen some kind of retro-1930s Lightning logo, but I love the color. But then, you should probably know that the school colors of my university are navy, slate blue, silver, and white so it's pretty close to the Tampa Bay Lightning colors.

I like the third jersey's a lot better than their regular ones, actually. It's not hard to imagine a white version for the road. The blue looks a lot better than the solid black uniform, I think.

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