Lightning refuse to fizzle out

The deck could not have been more stacked against the Tampa Bay Lightning than it was Sunday against the Blackhawks at the United Center.

Let’s allow Lightning coach Guy Boucher to count the ways.

“Here’s the thing,” Boucher began. “We’re short-staffed because Mole’s (winger Ryan Malone) not playing, so we’re playing 11 forwards.”

And ...

“And then Vinny (captain Vincent Lecavalier) is taken out (with an injury above his left eye ... one requiring 3 stitches).”

And ...

“I even benched a guy because I didn’t like the way he acted on the ice, so we were down to nine forwards and that’s how we played until the end of the game.”

Oh, and a few more things: The Lightning were playing the second of back-to-back games after defeating Minnesota on Saturday and they were starting backup goalie Mike Smith in net.

You know where all this is going, don’t you?

That’s right.

Before he gets hurt, Lecavalier scores the game-winner on a power play in the first period, and the Lightning, despite playing on fumes the final two periods, still manages to tighten the screws defensively ... and Smith turns away all 31 shots he faces for his first shutout in over a year to lead Tampa (44-24-11) to a 2-0 victory.

“We were short on forwards, but the ones we had came back and played well defensively — it was a great team effort,” Lightning defenseman Pavel Kubina said. “It’s never easy when you’re playing back to back and especially against a desperate team who are fighting for a playoff spot still.”

For a long while it was hard to tell which team was fighting for its playoff life as the Lightning, who clinched their first playoff berth in four years with a win over Pittsburgh last week, came out blazing in the first period.

But after initial rush died down, the Lightning turned to defense and goaltending — and received a heaping helping of both.

Especially goaltending.

“Smitty was unbelievable; he saved our bacon a number of times out there,” said center Nate Thompson, who scored an empty-netter late in the third, 1 of only 15 shots the Lightning could muster all night.

“Every win is rewarding,” Smith said, “but this is against the defending Stanley Cup champions, and when you beat a team like that, it’s definitely more rewarding.”