Y2Tie: Habs, Lightning End Even

The Tampa Bay Lightning no longer look like the NHL's worst team.

Pavel Kubina scored the tying goal with 5:51 left in the third period as the Lightning tied the Montreal Canadiens 2-2 Tuesday night.

Tampa Bay has gone 2-2-2 over its past six games. The Lightning, who will finish last overall for the second consecutive season, ended the 1997-98 campaign winless in 10 games (0-9-1).

"It's night and day compared to last year's ending," Tampa Bay coach Jacques Demers said. "There is a tremendous amount of hope for this franchise with the players we have now. I really like what I saw tonight."

Kubina's wrist shot from between blue line and the top of the circle deflected off goaltender Jeff Hackett and wound up in the net.

The Lightning, who arrived in Tampa around 2:30 a.m. following Monday night's 2-1 loss at the New York Rangers, were playing their fourth game in six nights.

"There is no quit in this team," Demers said. "Montreal was waiting when we landed last night. I'm very proud of our players. I think it was an exciting game for two teams that not in the playoffs."

Brian Savage had given Montreal a 2-1 lead at 12:24 of the third period, lifting a rebound backhander over Derek Wilkinson.

"Same old story ... not enough goals," Montreal coach Alain Vigneault said. "I don't see why it would change at Game 80."

The Canadiens have scored just 179 goals this season.

Montreal's biggest shortcoming was it's NHL's worst road power play, which went 0-for-5. The Canadiens have just 16 goals in 167 road power plays (9.6 percent).

"Our power play on the road this year has been disastrous," Vigneault said. "It's one of the reasons why we haven't won as many games. We could have given ourselves momentum."

The Canadiens penalty killers were just the opposite, killing five power plays. Montreal has allowed jus four goals in the past 53 shorthanded situations.

Hackett, sidelined the past four games by a hip flexor, had 20 saves. Wilkinson, who was recalled from Cleveland of the IHL last Thursday, stopped 25 shots.

The Lightning misfired on a second-period, two-man rush when Montreal defenseman Igor Ulanov used a head first dive from behind to break up Steve Kelly's pass intended for Robert Petrovicky.

Tampa Bay rookie Vincent Lecavalier nearly broke the 1-1 tie early in the third period, but his slap shot hit the post.

The Lightning failed to a get a shot on goal during a late power play when Hackett was called for interference by referee Greg Kimmerly at 19:43 of the third period.

"That's a just a rookie call in this league ... that's terrible," Hackett said.

The teams traded first-period goals. Darcy Tucker's 21st goal put the Lightning up 1-0 at 7:07. Turner Stevenson's breakaway goal at 19:49 tied the game.

Shayne Corson returned after completing a six-game suspension surrounding a high-sticking incident on March 27 at Vancouver.

Canadiens center Sergei Zholtok, who assisted on Stevenson's first-period goal, was also back in the lineup after sitting out three games with a hip injury.

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