Bolts of Lightning hitting a short-circuit on ice

December 6, 7:48 PMTampa Bay Sports ExaminerTed Fleming

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(Photo: TampaBay.com)

TAMPA - Ah, I can remember the good old days when the St. Pete Times Forum was so loud players on the ice could not hear each other, much less themselves.

It was a time of “Who woulda thunk” as you looked around a packed press box and wonder how hockey had become a major sports player in Florida and in football country to boot.

Ah, the good old days - all the way back to June 7, 2004. Man, time flies when you’re miserable.

25 games into the 2008-09 schedule and the Bolts were an unflattering 6-11-8 entering Saturday’s contest with the Sabres and you have to ask if this team is as bad as their record or just unlucky. Tampa Bay has a penchant for gaining points by getting into overtime but not getting the much needed “W” when it counts.

Reverse six of those eight overtime or shootout losses, second place would be theirs and there would be a lot of talk about playoffs, especially after last season’s debacle. Getting into the postseason would have been a highlight regardless of how they would fare.

Approaching the 1/3 mark of the season and slipping in the back door as an eight-seed may be as tough to achieve as a victory.

With names like Vinny Lecavalier, Martin St. Louis, Mark Recchi, Ryan Malone and high-flying #1 draft pick Steven Stamkos on the roster along with Mike Smith and Olaf Kolzig between the pipes, something seems amiss.

Home games are not as loud; the sea of empty seats is glaring especially when the announced attendance does not even come close to actual bodies.

One thing that may have soured the fans was the new ownership group signing players without benefit of a general manager, hiring a coach that was on TV more than he was actually in the game, and telling everyone within earshot they would build a winner.

They left the impression that it would be this season but when you change more than half your roster and are now on your second coach and system it is not hard to understand the Lightning’s plight so far.

Is enough talent on the team to succeed? That is the great unknown especially when you are 29th in points out of 30 teams. Anyone got a ladder?