SAVES AND RAVES
Antero Niittymaki
TAMPA  Backup goaltender Antero Niittymaki is making it tough for the Lightning to put him back on the bench.
 Niittymaki  making his second straight start  came through with several spectacular saves Monday night against the Panthers  with one sparking the Lightning's go-ahead goal in a 3-2 come-from-behind victory in front of an announced 14 126 at the St. Pete Times Forum.
 Tampa Bay (2-1-2) has won two straight for the first time since mid March  taking advantage of another strong third-period flurry. Make no mistake: Mike Smith is the Lightning's No. 1 goalie  but Niittymaki was the No. 1 star Monday night.
 Niittymaki "was huge " Steven Stamkos said. "It was definitely not one of our better games  and he really bailed us out. And that's what great goaltenders do. And he did that for us (Monday night). He was great."
 Niittymaki had 31 saves  including several on Panthers odd-man rushes; he even picked up the assist on the-winner. With less than seven minutes left  Niittymaki made a save on a breakaway by David Booth. Stamkos picked up the rebound and went the length of the ice  ripping a shot through Florida goaltender Tomas Vokoun. The puck trickled off the post  but Ryan Malone crashed the net and tapped in the rebound. "I was lucky enough; I got the garbage there " he said.
 Before making the rare end-to-end rush  Stamkos said  he looked back and saw three Panthers standing still near the red line  so he decided to go for it.
 "It was just kind of an instinct play  and obviously a great save by Nitty " Stamkos said. "He deserves all the credit on that one."
 Niittymaki was tested early  having to stop Booth on a first-period breakaway  an experience he drew on when he came in alone in the third period.
 "He tried to deke-backhand the first time  so I was kind of guessing he might shoot  and he did " Niittymaki said. "So I think I had a little advantage there."
 The Lightning didn't play its best hockey  being a little too careless with the puck  which is partly why Niittymaki faced so many odd-man rushes.
 And though Niittymaki  29  has played just two regular-season games for the Lightning since signing in the offseason  Tocchet likes what he is made of  too.
 "Niittymaki was solid as can be  he was excellent " Tocchet said. "He's done everything  and more."
TAMPA  [TGT] is making it tough for the Lightning to put [TGT] back on the bench.
 [TGT]making [TGT] second straight start  came through with several spectacular saves Monday night against the Panthers  with one sparking the Lightning's go-ahead goal in a 3-2 come-from-behind victory in front of an announced 14 126 at the St. Pete Times Forum.
 Tampa Bay (2-1-2) has won two straight for the first time since mid March  taking advantage of another strong third-period flurry. Make no mistake: Mike Smith is the Lightning's No. 1 goalie  but [TGT] was the No. 1 star Monday night.
 [TGT] "was huge " Steven Stamkos said. "It was definitely not one of our better games  and he really bailed us out. And that's what great goaltenders do. And he did that for us (Monday night). He was great.[TGT] had 31 saves  including several on Panthers odd-man rushes; [TGT] even picked up the assist on the-winner. With less than seven minutes left  [TGT] made a save on a breakaway by David Booth. Stamkos picked up the rebound and went the length of the ice  ripping a shot through Florida goaltender Tomas Vokoun. The puck trickled off the post  but Ryan Malone crashed the net and tapped in the rebound. "I was lucky enough; I got the garbage there " he said.
 Before making the rare end-to-end rush  Stamkos said  he looked back and saw three Panthers standing still near the red line  so he decided to go for it.
 "It was just kind of an instinct play  and obviously a great save by Nitty " Stamkos said. "He deserves all the credit on that one.[TGT] was tested early  having to stop Booth on a first-period breakaway  an experience he drew on when he came in alone in the third period.
 "He tried to deke-backhand the first time  so I was kind of guessing he might shoot  and he did " [TGT] said. "So I think I had a little advantage there."
 The Lightning didn't play its best hockey  being a little too careless with the puck  which is partly why [TGT] faced so many odd-man rushes.
 And though [TGT]29  has played just two regular-season games for the Lightning since signing in the offseason  Tocchet likes what he is made of  too.
 "[TGT] was solid as can be  [TGT] was excellent " Tocchet said. "[TGT]'s done everything  and more."