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TAMPA BAY -- With the kind of high-end talent Tampa Bay can throw out there, it's a wonder they're not running out of bulbs for the red lights.
But there's a power outage in Lightning land.
The Bolts have lost six of their last seven games and are in a life and death struggle for eighth place. Their top guns, meanwhile, aren't making it any easier.
Martin St. Louis has six goals, Vincent Lecavalier has six and Alex Tanguay four.
"You would never expect those guys to have 16 goals between the three of them," said head coach Rick Tocchet, whose club would be in bigger trouble if Steve Stamkos and Ryan Malone, with 17 and 16, weren't clicking.
"Stamkos is having a career year and Ryan Malone is too. We just need to get a couple of those guys scoring."
St. Louis, who got his sixth of the season 1:08 into last night's game, says goal scorers have to work hard, too, and when they don't, the goals don't come.
"You can't just open yourself up and play pond hockey out there," he said. "We like to think we can generate more chances, be opportunistic, with the talent we have. We all know confidence is a big part of this game and sometimes the net looks really big and sometimes it doesn't.
"But if you put yourself in scoring chances consistently your talent will take over."
EYE ON OLYMPICS: With Kevin Lowe in the crowd, and a cast of Team Canada candidates on the Lightning, the Olympics were a hot topic.
"It's something that's been in the back of your mind for a long time now," said St. Louis, who was the best Lightning player, notching a one-timer in the opening seconds and adding a second period assist. "We're down to the next three weeks. You try not to think about it. You try to do the things here to help your team win and hopefully you get noticed. Hopefully the game that you bring to this team can be something the country needs."
STAMKOS SIDELINED: Steve Stamkos is making a hard charge for the Canadian Olympic team. His 17 goals are third in the NHL among Canadian born centres, but he remains a long shot behind a strong crew of veterans. He left the game in the second period yesterday with an upper body issue and will be re-evaluated today. Then, hopefully, it's back to the quest.
"It's definitely a goal of mine to make that team," he said. "With so many good players it's going to be a tough task. I just want to get back on track personally and with the team, make it as hard as possible for the guys making the decisions. It's definitely on my mind."
ROBERT.TYCHKOWSKI@SUNMEDIA.CA