Examining the Tampa Bay Lightning numbers

Advantage Margin: +69
As in past seasons, Tampa Bay was among the least-penalized teams in the NHL, allowing the opposition only 305 power plays — just 137 at home, where the Bolts enjoyed an average of more than an extra chance per game.

Even-Strength Goals Margin: -22
Vincent Lecavalier led the NHL with 31 even-strength goals and Martin St. Louis added 24, but the rest of the team had just 105. Center Brad Richards (-19) and winger Vaclav Prospal (-24) struggled at even strength. 

Special Teams Goal Margin: +6
Despite the huge advantage in power plays, the Bolts had only a 69-66 margin in goals scored with the man advantage. Lecavalier and St. Louis each had five shorthanded goals, as the Lightning tallied 14 times while playing a man short.

Goals by defensemen: 40
Dan Boyle was second in the NHL among defensemen with 20 goals, including 10 on the power play, and finished with 63 points. Filip Kuba also gave the Lightning an offensive boost from the blue line with 15.

Goals by forwards: 203
Lecavalier (52) won the Rocket Richard Trophy as the NHL’s top goal-scorer and St. Louis added 43. But Richards (25) was the only other forward with more than 15 goals, meaning that when the Bolts’ dynamic duo was off the ice, the offense struggled.

Overtime Record: 15-3-2 (OT: 5-3, SO: 10-2)
No team made better use of the shootout than the Lightning, which tied for the league lead in wins and was No. 1 in winning percentage (.833). The credit goes to the goalies, Marc Denis and Johan Holmqvist, who allowed a league-low six goals on 53 chances.

Times Scored First/Record: 41 (Record: 28-11-2)
Talk about being average: The Lightning scored first in exactly half its games and was a middle-of-the-pack team when scoring first (15th, .683 winning percentage)

Best 06-07 Number: 10
Wins by the Lightning when trailing after two periods, tying Tampa Bay with Dallas and Montreal for the most in the NHL. The Bolts were an equal-opportunity comeback team, with five rallies each at home and on the road.

Worst 06-07 Number: 78.4
Tampa Bay’s penalty-killing percentage, 28th in the 30-team league. The Bolts weren’t very good at home (80.3 percent, 26th ) or on the road (76.8 percent, 27th)

Scheduling:
The Lightning starts its season with three straight home games and ends it with three on the road, all against Southeast Division rivals. Tampa Bay has no long trips — only one road swing is as long as four games and it lasts only eight days.