Vincent Lecavalier….clinched his 12th straight season of at least 20 goals. I don’t think people appreciate how difficult it is to achieve that kind of consistency. Know who never had 12 straight 20 goal seasons? Mario Lemieux? Never had 12 straight, just 6. Mark Messier? Never had 12 straight, just 10. Steve Yzerman? Sorry boss, you never did it either. The best Stevie Y did was 8 straight seasons. And, remember, Vinny didn’t play in the roaring 80′s where the NHL looked like the QMJHL defensively.

Al Messerschmidt, Getty Images

In his 14th season now, Vincent Lecavalier is enjoying early success this year with the Tampa Bay Lightning, after experiencing consecutive years of dropped-off production dating back to 2007.

That 2006-07 campaign saw the longtime captain register 52 goals and 108 points, good enough to capture the Rocket Richard Trophy as the league’s top goal scorer, as well as making him the all-time Lightning season-high scorer.

Since then, however, Lecavalier has tallied point-totals of 92, 67, 70, and just 54 last season.

Shoulder and wrist injuries have surely set him back, which could explain Lecavalier’s decreased production, but it seems Vinny is finally back to being Vinny.

Through 21 games thus far, Lecavalier has tallied 10 goals (including one game-winner) and 17 points, on pace for a 30-goal, 60-70 point season. The last time he scored 30 goals was 2007-08, when he lit the lamp 40 times, and totaled 92 points.

The 31-year-old Lecavalier is developing more of a two-way game under head coach Guy Boucher, who emphasizes a defense-first system. Perhaps he’s finally playing completely injury-free hockey. We all know that, especially in the playoffs, players come back early from injury so long as they can still physically compete.

Either way, it seems Lecavalier is settling into that role more comfortably, much likeDetroit Red Wings great Steve Yzerman eventually did under legendary head coach Scotty Bowman.

Playing around 19 minutes each game, Lecavalier has been a vital part of the Lightning’s offense this season, the team he’s spent his entire career with.

His 10 goals are good for second on the team, only two behind Steven Stamkos, and also tie for fifth in the entire NHL. Although he’s played 12 games on the road, as opposed to only nine at home, Lecavalier has tallied 11 points at home, and only six on the road.

At age 31, the Ile Bizard, Quebec, native still has plenty of solid hockey left in him. It appears it’s time to reconsider for those who wrote off Vincent Lecavalier. He’s getting back to his old, scoring form.

Now, he may not find the top 10 in league scoring by the season’s end, but as I stated, a 30-goal, 60-70 point season would be undoubtedly be a welcome sight in Tampa Bay. And at this rate, it’s hard to see him slowing down.

TAMPA, Fla. — Dwayne Roloson stymied the Pittsburgh Penguins again.

Roloson made 33 saves, Vincent Lecavalier had two goals and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Penguins 4-1 on Thursday night.

“There’s no way you can beat that team if the goaltender is not at his best,” Tampa Bay coach Guy Boucher said. “They’ve got everything, basically. We’ve got to play almost perfect defensively.”

Brett Connolly and Steve Downie also scored for the Lightning, who have won six consecutive home games.

Pittsburgh got a third-period goal from Tyler Kennedy.

It was the first game between the teams since Roloson helped Tampa Bay beat Pittsburgh in an Eastern Conference quarterfinal series last season.

“Last year is last year,” Roloson said. “We’re focusing on this year.”

There was some chippy play, but no fights took place.

Roloson stopped an in-close shot by Steve Sullivan in the first. He also made several strong saves, including a lunging pad stop on Sullivan’s back-hander, during a late second-period power play.

“I don’t think we had any quality chances,” Pittsburgh defenseman Kris Letang said. “I think we took some shots, but I don’t think he had a really difficult life back in his net.”

Lecavalier put the Lightning up 1-0 from just outside the crease on Tampa Bay’s first shot of game 8:38 into the first. He picked up a loose puck after a defensive-zone turnover by Jordan Staal and made several moves before beating goalie Marc-Andre Fleury.

Fleury finished with 14 saves. He was 7-0-1 in his previous eight games.

Connolly made it 2-0 when he re-directed Dominic Moore’s shot while positioned in the low slot during a power play at 4:08 of the second.

Connolly had lost his stick shortly before the goal and went to the bench area, where high-scoring Steven Stamkos handed the rookie right wing his stick.

“There’s a lot of magic in those sticks, for sure,” Connolly said.

Pittsburgh had allowed just three goals in 53 previous short-handed situations this season before Connolly’s goal.

Downie extended the lead to 3-0 on Tampa Bay’s second power-play goal of the game early in the third.

Pittsburgh has given up power-play goals in only three games this season. Toronto had two man-advantage goals in a 4-3 win on Oct. 29, and Washington had one Oct. 13 en route to a 3-2 overtime victory.

“Clearly the special teams battle … two power-play goals for them and us not cashing in on our opportunities,” Penguins coach Dan Bylsma said. “A lot of them came late and we were pressing at that point in time, but they won the battle 2-0 and that’s pretty much the difference in the game.”

Pittsburgh went 0 for 7 on the power play, while the Lightning converted two of their six opportunities.

After Lecavalier scored his second goal of the game into an empty net at 15:49 of the third, Kennedy ruined Roloson’s bid for his 30th career shutout a minute later.

“They’ve got great players,” Downie said. “It’s always nice to beat these guys.”

Game notes
Pittsburgh C Sidney Crosby, who hasn’t played since Jan. 5 because of a concussion, continues to work out with the team. … Lightning LW Ryan Malone missed his fourth straight game due to an undisclosed upper body injury. He did take part in a morning practice. … Downie ended his 16-game goal drought. … Penguins LW James Neal had his seven-game point streak snapped. He had four goals and 11 points during the stretch.

Copyright by STATS LLC and The Associated Press

Steven Stamkos posted his fourth career hat trick and Vincent Lecavalier scored at 4:06 in overtime as the host Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Chicago Blackhawks 5-4 on Friday night.

Stamkos had three goals in a wild second period in which each team scoring four times. Stamkos’ final goal, a left circle power-play shot with 32.2 seconds remaining in the second, tied it 4-4.

Lecavalier scored the winner on the low slot off a pass from Martin St. Louis, who finished with three assists. Brett Connolly also scored for the Lightning, who have won four consecutive home games.

Patrick Sharp scored twice for the Blackhawks. Marian Hossa and Daniel Carcillo also scored.

Lecavalier, right, has 28 goals in his past 57 games dating to last season and including playoffs.

By Damian Cristodero

RALEIGH, N.C. — The way Vinny Lecavalier started and stopped his answer showed he was having trouble with the question:

Is being tied for the league lead with three winning goals an indicator of skill or luck?

“You know, it’s …” he said.

“Maybe if …” he added.

“Honestly,” he finally said, laughing, “I think it’s luck. If we were having six, seven, eight overtimes, it would be different. But during a regular game, it just happens that way.”

Actually, teammate Teddy Purcell said, “it’s the odds. … When you score a lot like he does, you’re going to get game winners.”

Whatever the explanation, Tampa Bay will take it along with the evidence Lecavalier’s resurgence that began in February still is going strong.

Lecavalier, 31, has five goals and eight points in 11 games. Extrapolated over an 82-game schedule, that’s a 37-goal season, and that would be the most Lecavalier has scored since he had 40 in 2007-08.

Add that to the 17 goals and 30 points he had in last season’s final 28 games, and the six goals and 19 points he had in the playoffs, and you have a clear trend.

“I feel really good,” said Lecavalier, whose winners have accounted for three of Tampa Bay’s five victories. “I’m getting some great opportunities.”

“He’s putting himself in amazing situations,” coach Guy Boucher said, “He’s looking good offensively.”

Imagine if Lecavalier buried more of his chances.

He cringed recalling Thursday’s loss to the Predators, in which goalie Pekka Rinne robbed him of one goal and sliding defenseman Shea Weber denied him of another with a block.

Lecavalier sometimes hesitates with the puck, Boucher said. And he wants Lecavalier, second on the team with 31 shots, to shoot more. That should resonate after the way Lecavalier scored — from a ridiculous angle against the right-wing boards and near the goal line — in Saturday’s 1-0 victory over the Jets.

“The last three games, he could have come out with two or three goals a game,” Boucher said. “He’s certainly on the right track. It’s just a matter of a fraction of a second here or there. Once you find that, it’s lethal.”

The reasons for Lecavalier’s rejuvenation have been well documented.

For the first time in five years he did not have a surgery from which to rehabilitate over the summer, meaning he is in better shape. And he has what Boucher calls “a free mind and free spirit” while no longer dealing with trade rumors that dogged him under the previous ownership and management groups, with which Lecavalier’s relationship was strained.

His biggest problem heading into tonight’s game with the Hurricanes at the RBC Center is refining his rediscovered game.

Perhaps he could have shot higher on Rinne or quicker to get the puck past Weber.

“The more opportunities you get, even if you miss them, if you know another one is coming soon, you feel better shooting the puck,” Lecavalier said. “You don’t squeeze your stick. That’s big.”

And the way you make your own luck.

Tampa Bay Lightning captain Vincent Lecavalier is in his 13th NHL season and after 944 games has scored 355 goals and added 445 assists.

By Gary Lawless

TAMPA, Fla. — The picture hangs prominently in the Tampa Bay Lightning dressing room and represents the moment the Bolts became an NHL force led by Vincent Lecavalier.

The photo features the lanky Lecavalier taking on Calgary Flames power forward Jarome Iginla in Game 3 of the 2004 Stanley Cup final. Most will tell you Iginla won the battle but Lecavalier won the war, as he sent the message that he was no longer a kid phenom and that he and his Bolts would be pushed around no more.

Fast-forward seven years and Lecavalier has a few more miles on his tires and Steven Stamkos is taking his share of the spotlight, but there’s no question who drives the Lightning.

“Vinny’s a great captain. When he’s not there we miss his presence. Last year he was gone for about a month and when he came back we really took off,” said Lightning coach Guy Boucher. “If you want your team to buy in and play defence first, it has to start at the top. His mind is in the right place. His game is complete and last year after Christmas he inspired our whole team with is effort backchecking. Consequently, after Christmas we were great on defence and got the results we wanted.”

Lecavalier is in his 13th NHL season and after 944 games has scored 355 goals and added 445 assists.

With a Stanley Cup, World Cup gold medal and Olympic gold medal already on his resume at the age of 31 and with lots of hockey before him, the Hall of Fame will likely be calling some day. The focus in Tampa not too long ago was on keeping the team afloat and Lecavalier, who is in the third year of an 11-year US$85-million contract, appeared to be in hockey hell with no hope of reaching the heights he’d seen early in his career.

But an ownership change that saw Jeff Vinik purchase the team and pump cash and organizational talent such as GM Steve Yzerman and Boucher into the franchise has Lecavalier thriving once again.

“Mr. Vinik has given $40 million to charities and pumped I don’t know how much into the building and it’s not even his. He’s got Steve Yzerman and Guy Boucher. It’s a world-class organization and I’m really proud to be part of it,” said Lecavalier, who scored the winning power-play goal Friday night to give him five on the year and eight points through 11 games.

“I’ve always loved Tampa and we’ve had some ups and downs here. But when you win a Cup and are in one place for 13 years, for me, it’s special to put the jersey on and be part of it. Now, with the direction we’re in, it’s a plus. Players will be looking over at Tampa and wanting to come here.”

Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis appeared headed for great things after winning the Cup in 2004, but then ownership follies put their talent on hold. Vinik’s ownership has made the Lightning relevant once again in the NHL.

“We believe in our team and we believe in our system and that’s the most important thing,” said Lecavalier. “A lot of people didn’t believe we could make the playoffs last year, but we believed in ourselves and our system and look where it got us (Eastern final),” he said. “I’ve always said consistency is the most important thing, individually and as a team. Last year, we’d lose one or two and then win four or five. We wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

With Yzerman, a former captain, Hall of Famer and Cup winner, heading up the organization, Lecavalier says there’s no cheating as a player.

“You have to be accountable. You have to lead by example and that’s something my coach says all the time. He says, ‘it starts with you.’ Steve and Guy can see that. It’s good for the whole organization to have that kind of leadership because we all have to try and live up to it.”

TAMPA, Fla. –  The Tampa Bay Lightning focused on defense and it paid off against the New York Islanders.

Vincent Lecavalier had a goal and an assist to help the Lightning stop a five-game losing streak with a 4-1 victory over New York on Thursday night.

“It was about discipline,” Tampa Bay coach Guy Boucher said. “Everybody was on the same page.”

Ryan Malone, Steven Stamkos and Brett Clark also scored for the Lightning. Tampa Bay limited the Islanders to just 17 shots.

“Definitely, that’s the way we want to play,” Lecavalier said. “Last year we were successful because we played like that.”

Tampa Bay reached the Eastern Conference finals last season, losing a seven-game series to Boston.

The Islanders got a goal from Michael Grabner. New York had won three in a row, all coming during a season-opening four-game homestand.

“They outworked us,” New York coach Jack Capuano said. “They had more desperation to their game. They got around our goaltender, and our forwards didn’t get around their goaltender. And to me that was a huge difference in the game, their net presence versus our net presence.”

After allowing five power-play goals in a 7-4 loss to Florida on Monday, the Lightning had just three penalties Thursday, including one as the game ended.

Malone put the Lightning up 1-0 with a rebound power-play goal from the slot with 3:28 left in first. The Lightning outshot New York 14-6 during the period.

“All around we played better. … It feels good,” Malone said.

Lecavalier made it 2-0 at 15:14 of the second. Stamkos, playing in his 250th NHL game, extended the lead to 3-0 with 14:35 to go in the third.

“We controlled the puck in their end for the majority of the game,” Stamkos said.

After Grabner cut it to 3-1 at 7:55 of the third, Clark scored late in the period.

New York went almost 13 minutes without a shot in the second before Tampa Bay goalie Mathieu Garon stopped a long-range shot by Brian Rolston.

“Overall, we didn’t play very good,” Grabner said. “We didn’t get enough pucks to the net in the first two periods. We’ve got to get better and get back to the little things. … Getting the puck to the net from every angle and get 30 or 40 shots every night.”

Garon made three saves on John Tavares in the first. The New York center was held scoreless after picking four points in each of his previous two games,

Marc-Andre Bergeron had an assist, extending his point streak to five games. The Tampa Bay defenseman has six assists and eight points over the stretch.

New York goalie Al Montoya had a modest two-game winning streak end, which included a 34-save performance in a 5-1 victory over Tampa Bay on Oct. 13. He had 26 saves Thursday.

Game notes
Islanders G Rick DiPietro (concussion) faced shots in goal and did skating drills during a one-hour morning workout. He resumed practicing this week. … Tampa Bay D Eric Brewer was in the lineup, one day after undergoing an MRI exam for an undisclosed injury. … Rolston played in his 1,191st game, which tied him for 92nd place with Gilbert Perreault and Marc Bergevin. Rolston assisted on Grabner’s goal … Islanders LW Blake Comeau was a healthy scratch for the second consecutive game.