Ryan Malone News

The Tampa Bay Lightning concluded a solid first quarter of the 2009-10 NHL season with a winning record and some confidence.

Toronto Maple Leafs centre Matt Stajan, right, fires the puck past Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Antero Niittymaki , of Finland, for a second-period goal during an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Nov.

Vincent Lecavalier celebrates after scoring against Toronto goalie Jonas Gustavsson in Wednesday's game Tampa Bay Lightning Record: 9-6-7 25 points Last Result: Lost 4-3 vs.

Niklas Hagman had two goals and Matt Stajan scored the go-ahead goal late in the second period to lead the Toronto Maple Leafs past the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-3 last night.

It hasn't been an easy year for any Maple Leaf to build confidence but, now that he's got it, Nik Hagman doesn't intend to let it get away.

Matt Stajan's breakaway goal late in the second proved to be the game-winner, as the Toronto Maple Leafs dealt the Lightning their first regulation home loss with a 4-3 victory at St.

Marty St. Louis expects more of himself, so the Lightning right wing understands those on the outside who expect more as well.

Every so often, the Tampa Bay Lightning are reminded of the growing pains associated with a team looking to re-establish itself as a Stanley Cup contender.

Steven Stamkos scored his 15th goal at 2:56 of overtime to give the Tampa Bay Lightning their second straight win, 4-3 over the Atlanta Thrashers on Sunday.

It was not difficult to hear exasperation in Steven Stamkos' voice after Thursday night's 4-3 overtime loss to the Ducks at the Honda Center.

2. Owen Nolan, Wild: The former No. 1 overall pick looked like Owen Nolan, circa 1999.

When it comes to goal production this season, the Lightning are so top-heavy at this point that the team would have a tough time bailing out the water in the hull of a ship.

Tampa Bay is 3-0-2 in its past five games and 5-1-4 in the past 10. ... Phoenix is 2-4 in its past six.

Though left wing Ryan Malone has traditionally been a slow starter, he has exploded in this season's first month, becoming an unsung hero for the Lightning.

Though the Lightning and Kings met Saturday for the only time this season, with the gritty, chippy way they played, you would have thought they were division rivals.

Nitti on Niitty: Gangster Frank is on goalie Antero's mask. [DANIEL WALLACE Times] Keeping suspect company Lightning G Antero Niittymaki has shunned the artistic interpretations of dragons and bikini-clad women generally found on the side of goaltenders' masks for one of the usual suspects: former Chicago gangster Frank Nitti .

Sometimes, the arrival comes so quickly, it is easy to forget how far a player has come.

The league will study whether it should ban hits to the head. But Lightning coach Rick Tocchet said a better idea is eliminating the instigator rule, which penalizes players who intentionally start fights.

Ryan Malone tied it with 14.7 seconds left in regulation, and Vincent Lecavalier and Steven Stamkos scored in the shootout to give the Tampa Bay Lightning a 4-3 comeback win over the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night.

No matter how the Lightning play tonight against the Wild, the aftermath won't be anything like what occurred after the team's 16th game last year.