Untitled Page

Dwayne Roloson News & Rumors

Dwayne Roloson staying focused, positive while sitting for Tampa Bay Lightning
"G Dwayne Roloson has played in just one of the Lightning's past eight games and just 10 of the past 31. It is clearly no fun for Roloson, who was signed to be the team's No. 1, to be relegated to No. 2 behind Mathieu Garon. But Roloson is not rocking the boat. "You're always disappointed when you're not playing, but you can't focus on that," he said. "You can't focus on the individual part of it. You have to focus on doing whatever you can to help us get better." Roloson, 42, the league's oldest player who during the summer signed a one-year, $3 million deal, is 7-10-2 in 24 games. His 3.65 goals-against average entered Saturday last in the league among goalies with at least 10 games. His"
Lightning goaltender Dwayne Roloson hopes for strong second half
"Veteran goalie Dwayne Roloson was very good in the second half of last season, when he helped carry the Lightning to the Eastern Conference final. That might seem like a distant memory for Tampa Bay fans, who have watched Roloson, 42, struggle this season. He has allowed at least four goals in 11 of 19 appearances and has an .882 save percentage and 3.80 goals-against average. As a result, Roloson, who signed a one-year, $3 million deal to be the No. 1 goalie, has been on the bench while Mathieu Garon started eight in a row. But Roloson gets his shot tonight at Ottawa, starting for the first time since Dec. 12. And Tampa Bay is hoping it's the start of another special second half."
Bolts goalie Roloson working to turn game around
"Just over a year ago, Dwayne Roloson arrived on the scene to stabilize the Tampa Bay Lightning's goaltending. Tonight, he hopes to do the same. Only the circumstances are somewhat different this time. Roloson will start in net as the Lightning face the Ottawa Senators trying to erase the memory of Tuesday's 7-3 loss in Toronto. It will be Roloson's first start since Dec. 19 against New Jersey, when he was pulled in the first period after allowing three goals on 12 shots. That's been the story through the first half of the season with Roloson, who hasn't looked like the same goalie who helped the Lightning reach the Eastern Conference final."
Bolts' Roloson upbeat despite dismal numbers
"Everything Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Dwayne Roloson is doing these days feels good. His play during games, however, has been anything but. In fact, over the past month, Roloson's numbers have dipped to the bottom of the league. As of Tuesday, Roloson's 3.67 goals-against average ranked 68th out of 71 goaltenders, while his .882 save percentage ranked next-to-last among goaltenders with at least 10 starts, ahead of only Columbus' Steve Mason. Since beating Pittsburgh 5-1 in a 33-save performance, Roloson has lost five consecutive games, allowing four or more goals in all but Monday's loss to New Jersey, when he was pulled in the first minute of the second period after allowing three goals"
Lightning goalie Dwayne Roloson getting time to regroup
"It was a drill conceived so players could have fun, but to Lightning goaltender Dwayne Roloson, it was deadly serious. Sliding to his right, then his left, throwing his legs out, making saves with his stick, Roloson put on a show Wednesday at the Ice Sports Forum against teammates shooting from no more than 15 feet away. "Any little thing is important," Roloson said. "You have to practice like you're in a game. The old cliche is, you do something 1,000 times, you're good at it. You do it 10,000 times, you're an expert." Tampa Bay (9-9-2) could use some expertise from Roloson."
Roloson stymies Penguins as he did in playoffs
"Funny, but he sure looked like the guy who made life so miserable for the Penguins this past spring. Dwayne Roloson's numbers -- a 5-4-1 record, 3.29 goals-against average and .895 save percentage --said he wasn't the same goalie who helped Tampa Bay upset the Penguins in the first round of the playoffs. But everything he did Thursday night in the Lightning's 4-1 victory at the St. Pete Times Forum said he is. Maybe better. The Penguins outshot Tampa Bay, 34-18 -- that included a run of 11 unanswered shots during the second period -- and had a commensurate advantage in territorial play and scoring opportunities. Didn't matter."
Roloson, Lecavalier lead Lightning past Pens, 4-1
"The Lightning knew they had to come out locked-in to face a loaded Pittsburgh team Thursday. And that's precisely the part Tampa Bay played in knocking off the conference-leading Penguins 4-1 in front of an announced crowd of 18,509. Goaltender Dwayne Roloson stopped 33 shots, falling 3:11 short of posting his second shutout of the season. Vinny Lecavalier scored twice, while Steve Downie and Brett Connolly scored power-play goals to lead the Lightning to their sixth consecutive victory at home, tied for the third longest home winning streak in franchise history. "They were as hard as it gets,'' Lightning coach Guy Boucher said of facing the Penguins."
Bolts' Roloson bounces back after rough stretch
"Tampa Bay Lightning G Dwayne Roloson lives by the 12-hour rule when it comes to his game — 12 hours after a win or a loss, Roloson develops amnesia and forgets about what happened in his last start. Before Saturday's shutout victory of Winnipeg, Roloson had to wait 12 days before starts, which gave him more time than normal to forget about what happened in his prior start. But it also allowed the veteran netminder to work out the kinks in his game after getting off to a shaky start in his first four starts of the season. Entering Saturday, Roloson posted a 5.11 goals-against average and .858 save percentage in his first four starts. In his previous three starts Roloson allowed 17 goals."
Roloson, Lightning blank Winnipeg
"The name may have changed, but the results stayed the same. Tampa Bay knocked off the new-look Winnipeg Jets 1-0 on Saturday for the Lightning's 12th consecutive victory against the franchise formerly known as the Atlanta Thrashers. Tampa Bay's last loss to Winnipeg/Atlanta in the series came at the start of the 2009-10 season. Since then, the Lightning have not lost, taking the first meeting between the teams since the franchise was relocated over the summer following 11 seasons in Atlanta. "It's just one of those things, but I don't look at it like what we did the last two years, every night is different,'' said captain Vinny Lecavalier, who scored the game's only goal late in the second"
Dwayne Roloson starts Saturday for first time since Oct. 17
"Lightning goaltender Dwayne Roloson has a surefire way of determining during practice if he is on his game. "Well," he said with a straight face, "the puck hits you." Roloson laughed at the throw-away line, but he actually was on to something. Because ultimately, that is how his return to the starting lineup tonight against the Jets at the St. Pete Times Forum will be judged. "I'm really anxious to be back in and play," Roloson said. "I had time off to work on a lot of stuff. I'd like to see it in a game and see where we're at." Roloson hasn't started since Oct. 17 against the Panthers, when he allowed seven goals on 33 shots. That was the culmination of an awful three-game stretch in"
Situation in net is more stable for Lightning
"Last season, the Lightning opened training camp with two goaltenders who knew each other well from previous time as teammates and had formed a friendship from their time together. This season, the Lightning opened training camp with two goaltenders who knew each other well from previous time as teammates and had formed a friendship from their time together. So, what changed exactly? Well, a lot, actually, as Tampa Bay prepares to play its only home preseason game tonight against the Florida Panthers. Last year, the combination of Mike Smith and Dan Ellis – teammates in the Dallas farm system – entered as options 1A and 1B. Though neither had shown the consistency to be a No. 1 goaltender,"
Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Dwayne Roloson quickly finds his form
"Dwayne Roloson does not ease into a training camp routine, especially when it comes to scrimmages. "You're trying to be at your best and work on the things you worked on in practice to make sure that when the real games are on everything is fundamentally sound," he said. Roloson was just that Sunday, stopping 15 shots in 32 minutes for the White team in a 1-0 victory over the Blue. In 62 minutes in two scrimmages, Roloson, the league's oldest player who turns 42 on Oct. 12, has stopped 26 of 27 shots."
NHL's oldest player, Dwayne Roloson, remains Tampa Bay Lightning's No. 1 goaltender
"Dwayne Roloson did his best recently to convince an acquaintance his age is "just a number." "Just because you're born on a certain day, people think it's an issue," he said. Actually, it kind of is. The Lightning goaltender, the league's oldest player, will be 42 on Oct. 12, and he is the only player in the league born in the 1960s (1969). All of which makes the level of play he has maintained even more noteworthy. But it also means the questions he faced last season about handling the physical and mental demands of being a No. 1, especially through a long playoff run, are a year more relevant."
Lightning, goaltender Dwayne Roloson agree to terms on one-year, $3 million deal
"The Lightning on Wednesday had a day of good news and no news. The good news was the team agreed to terms with goaltender Dwayne Roloson on a one-year, $3 million contract, and right wing Adam Hall signed a one-year deal. No news? That is what came out of negotiations between general manager Steve Yzerman and agents for All-Star center Steven Stamkos, who if unsigned by Friday becomes a restricted free agent open to offer sheets from other teams. "I wouldn't say it's better or worse," Yzerman said of the Stamkos talks. "All I can say is we'll continue to work toward getting a contract done." Wrote agent Don Meehan in an e-mail: "We are in the midst of discussions." Discussions are over"
Lightning, Roloson agree to one-year deal
"The Tampa Bay Lightning agreed to terms with pending free-agent goaltender Dwayne Roloson, Tampa Bay general manager Steve Yzerman confirmed Wednesday, while negotiations for would-be restricted free agent Steven Stamkos continued. The deal for Roloson was reported by TSN to be a one-year pact worth $3 million. The salary matches the amount Roloson earned last season when he was acquired from the New York Islanders on New Year's Day. Roloson, who will turn 42 just after next season begins, went 18-12-4 with a 2.56 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage in 34 regular-season games with Tampa Bay. In the postseason, his first playoffs since leading Edmonton to the Stanley Cup finals"
Lightning open to bringing back goaltenders Dwayne Roloson and Mike Smith
"Let's start with this: "Without being specific," Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman said, "we will increase our payroll." Now let's go to this: When it comes to goaltenders Dwayne Roloson and Mike Smith, Yzerman said, "I'd like to explore the opportunity of bringing them both back." The declarations Monday were the most intriguing from a day when players cleaned out their lockers at the St. Pete Times Forum. It was also notable that center Steven Stamkos said he sees no impediment to a new deal, though no one really expects otherwise. Surely there were not many who during the season expected a Roloson/Smith redux. Roloson, sure, for stabilizing a goaltending black hole after his"
Lightning open to bringing back goaltenders Dwayne Roloson and Mike Smith
"Let's start with this: "Without being specific," Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman said, "we will increase our payroll." Now let's go to this: When it comes to goaltenders Dwayne Roloson and Mike Smith, Yzerman said, "I'd like to explore the opportunity of bringing them both back." The declarations Monday were the most intriguing from a day when players cleaned out their lockers at the St. Pete Times Forum. It was also notable that center Steven Stamkos said he sees no impediment to a new deal, though no one really expects otherwise. Surely there were not many who during the season expected a Roloson/Smith redux. Roloson, sure, for stabilizing a goaltending black hole after his"
Roloson does everything but provide win
"There was nothing Marty St. Louis could say to his goaltender, Dwayne Roloson, as he walked into the quiet of the Lightning locker room Friday night. All he could do was shake his hand and embrace the man who did everything he possibly could to give the Lightning the chance to advance to the Stanley Cup finals. No words needed to be spoken, anyway. What Roloson did in a losing cause practically defied description. His saves total (37) certainly didn't do it justice. If it wasn't the first-period breakaway stop on Milan Lucic, then it was the second-period heist he made on young Tyler Seguin. "I just tried to stay with him," said Roloson, describing what he saw on the Lucic save. "I was"
Dwayne Roloson gets no support in Game 7 against Boston Bruins
"Lightning right wing Marty St. Louis shook goalie Dwayne Roloson's hand in a somber locker room Friday night, then shook his head. Roloson had given Tampa Bay a chance with a spectacular performance in a 1-0 loss to the Bruins in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference final. His teammates wish they could have given the 41-year-old veteran more to work with. Roloson was on top of his game, making 37 saves as the Bruins peppered him with several great scoring chances. "What else can you ask from your goaltender?" wing Ryan Malone said. Said center Steven Stamkos: "Roli played outstanding. He played the game we needed him to play. It's too bad we couldn't find one (goal)." In the end, Roloson's"
For Tampa Bay Lightning's Dwayne Roloson, a win is a win
"Lightning goalie Dwayne Roloson gave up four goals on 20 shots in Wednesday's Game 6 of the East final against the Bruins. He called it "a bunch." He also said he really didn't care. "It doesn't matter," Roloson said. "We won the game. I don't care if we win 21-20. As long as we win, that's all that matters." After being pulled in Games 2 and 4 and watching from the bench as backup Mike Smith played Game 5, Roloson returned to the net Wednesday with the season at stake. Local radio talk shows, newspapers and national television analysts debated whom the Lightning should start in goal. Not that the 41-year-old Roloson, acquired at midseason for games such as Wednesday's, noticed. "I don't"
Boucher lays it on line by tapping Roloson to start
"The Lightning plane from Boston landed Tuesday afternoon bearing news, if not victory. No state secrets this time: Back in goal goes Dwayne Roloson. It's the call I would make. Then I would run and hide. By the way, the Boston Bruins charter landed a few minutes before the Lightning's. Word is Tim Thomas steered the whole way down, using only his goalie stick. He really is feeling it. It's another must-win moment for the Lightning, Game 6 of the conference finals. Guy Boucher, Coach Coy before Game 5, said Roli, Roli, Roli, to anyone he met Tuesday. Boucher has pushed all the right buttons as an NHL rookie. And now he has pushed another one, a big one, and he'd better be right. Mike Smith"
Roloson will get the start for Lightning
"It's the usual trick: The coach pulls the goalie and throws in the backup to shake up a struggling team. Lightning coach Guy Boucher put his own spin on the strategy yesterday, naming No. 1 goalie Dwayne Roloson as the starter for Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals tonight at the St. Pete Times Forum, replacing backup Mike Smith, who took over for Roloson in the middle of Game 4 and got an unexpected nod for the start in Game 5. Smith played well enough (17 saves) in Game 5, his first start of the playoffs, but the Bruins managed to carve out a 3-1 victory and now lead the best-of-seven series, three games to two."
Lightning make bold decision, put Smith in net over Roloson
"It was a tough spot that Lightning goalie Mike Smith was asked to step into: his first playoff start. He was taking the place of mainstay Dwayne Roloson, who was as big a reason as any why Tampa Bay had racked up 10 of the 16 wins needed to win a Stanley Cup. That they didn't get No.?11 on Monday was no fault of Smith's. If anything, his work forestalled what became a 3-1 Bruins victory. "He made the saves," said gritty Tampa Bay center Nate Thompson. "He gave us a chance." Said Smith: "I thought I played pretty well. I gave up two goals. They were tough plays. You're never satisfied when you give up a goal." The first of those, the game-tying tally by Nathan Horton, was a laser from the"
Games like this are why Lightning need to roll with Roloson
"It's why they brought him here. For a night like tonight. Let's get that straight if Dwayne Roloson, as expected, steps back between the pipes for the Tampa Bay Lightning at TD Garden in Boston for the crucial Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Bruins. A few months back, Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman and coach Guy Boucher decided, long before the playoffs were a reality, that Roloson was the guy they needed for any postseason chance. Dan Ellis wasn't enough. Neither was Mike Smith. They would roll with Roli -- and they have to roll with him now. The Lightning wouldn't be anywhere near where they are now, two wins from the Stanley Cup Finals, without their"
No goalie controversy on Lightning: Roloson will start in Game 5
"Tampa Bay Lightning coach Guy Boucher wouldn't allow a goalie controversy to creep into the Eastern Conference finals by saying that Dwayne Roloson is still his guy for Game 5 Monday night in Boston. "I don't feel like we've got a situation," Boucher said. "We've got a goaltender that has taken us here. He's played really well, and he's getting prepared for tomorrow." Although the Lightning came from behind to win a 5-3 decision in Game 4 to tie the series, Roloson was pulled for the second time in the conference finals. Boucher replaced Roloson with Mike Smith after Roloson yielded three goals on nine shots in the first period. Smith stopped all 21 shots he faced. In less than nine"
Inside Bolts' locker room, Roli is still No. 1
"No one would second guess Guy Boucher if he went with the hot hand tonight in Boston and started Mike Smith in goal. Smith was sensational in relief of Dwayne Roloson during Saturday's 5-3 win. You can make a powerful argument for Smith to get the nod against the Bruins in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference final. But Roloson almost certainly will start, and there is no disagreement about that in the only place that really counts – inside the Lightning's dressing room. Such is the trust this first-year head coach has earned from his team. "We have our No. 1 goaltender. He has taken us to this place right now and that's the reason why we're here," Boucher said. It seems like we've said this"
Who's in goal for Lightning: Roloson or Smith?
"As the Eastern Conference finals whittle down to a best-of-three series starting tonight with Game 5, there is just as much focus on who will play goal for Tampa Bay as there is with Boston's three-goal collapse in Game 4. So who exactly does Guy Boucher turn to for tonight's pivotal matchup against the Boston Bruins — the No.?1 guy who brought Tampa Bay this far or the reliever who shut the door in Game 4 to allow the Lightning's historic comeback? Well, Boucher refuses to tip his hand, at least definitively if he plans on starting Dwayne Roloson or Mike Smith. And whether he's playing mind games to give the Bruins one more thing to think about heading into tonight or actually needs"
Guy Boucher won't reveal starting goalie for Game 5
"Let us assume Dwayne Roloson starts in net tonight for the Lightning. We have to assume because coach Guy Boucher did not answer directly when asked point-blank if his No. 1 goalie would play Game 5 of the Eastern Conference final against the Bruins after being pulled in Game 4 for the second time in three games. "Roloson is getting ready for (today)," Boucher said. For that matter, so is Mike Smith, who has stopped all 29 shots he has faced in the series, including 21 Saturday while Tampa Bay stormed back from a three-goal deficit to win 5-3 and even the best-of-seven series at two games apiece. The sidestepping is understandable. Boucher wants to create doubt for the Bruins. But let's"
For Lightning's Roloson, boy's short story melts the ice
"Dwayne Roloson, Tampa Bay Lightning goalkeeper, has been a star most of these Stanley Cup playoffs. Then again, he has help. There's a small green shamrock painted on the back plate of Roloson's goalie mask — a shamrock with the initials KR inside it. And there are the letters TDLO for "The Dream Lives On." It's for a friend, a former camper at Roloson's summer goalie school, a boy not unlike Roloson's young sons, Brett and Ross. The shamrock is for a remarkable boy who'll always be 12, with a mop of hair and smile that could melt the ice. It's for KR. Kelly Ryan. "I'm honored to have him with me," Roloson said. "The dream lives on, that's true," said Phil Ryan, Kelly's father. "Every day"
Dwayne Roloson ignoring his place in history
"One would think if an NHL player was being mentioned with one of the all-time greats, he would at least take some notice. But Lightning goaltender Dwayne Roloson said he doesn't read the sports section and doesn't turn on the television much, either. "So, to be honest with you," he said Monday, "I have no inkling what you're talking about." Did he want to know? "No," he said, "I don't want to hear it." But it is worth mentioning. Roloson's eight straight playoff victories tie him with Hall of Famer Jacques Plante, who did it in 1969 with the Blues, for most by a goalie 40 or older. Roloson needs two more wins, not necessarily in a row, to tie former Red Wings goalie Dominik Hasek for most"
Lightning goalie Dwayne Roloson has an age-defying act
"They were shooting at Dwayne Roloson again. It was Wednesday night, sweep night, and the Caps had turned the moment into a skeet shoot, and the pucks seemed to be coming at the Lightning goalie two at a time. Roloson was in full scramble, a man fighting off a wasp attack, lunging and twisting and darn near flying the way he has been doing for most of the postseason. In that moment, the oddest thought of all struck me. Egad. In the name of Roloson, I had become a birther. In that moment, I wanted to see, needed to see, Roloson's birth certificate and the yellowed parchment upon which it was printed. I didn't care where Roli was born. I cared when. There is no way this guy can be 41 years"
Ex-Oiler Dwayne Roloson on a roll with Lightning
"Is it too early to start talking about Dwayne Roloson and the Conn Smythe Trophy? Maybe it is. It's only early May, not early June. Roli has played only nine games for the Tampa Bay Lightning, a pretty small sample if we're going to single him out as the playoff MVP leader. Still, it's hard not to laugh softly at how well Roloson is playing, saving 304 of 321 shots. The only one he'd dearly like back is a bad-angle hopper from James Neal that beat him in overtime in the first series with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Roloson, 41, is one of only three goalies in NHL history to have won at least six games in the playoffs as a 40-year-old. Jacques Plante won eight games in 1969 at age 40 while"
Roloson heading into decisive final game on a roll
"There is no such thing as a moral victory in the seventh game of a series, no nice try. It's good, or bad, with no ambiguity. The Lightning either will win the playoff series tonight in Pittsburgh against the Penguins or see their season end. "Now it's a best-of-one. There's no momentum, there's no anything," Lightning wonder child Steven Stamkos said. "All that is forgotten now." That's how players have to think. The rest of us, though, aren't bound by the restriction of living strictly in the moment. With that in mind, we look for edges and things that might tip a game — and a season — one way or the other. I think the Lightning have the biggest edge right now with goalie Dwayne Roloson."
Bolts live on thanks to Roloson's stellar play
"It could have been over just like that. All that mucking and grinding, all that All In from everyone in Lightning sweaters, all the good work against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 6, it wouldn't have mattered, there would have been no Game 7. But now there will be. Dwayne Roloson made it so. The Lightning won 4-2 on Monday night at the Forum. In the moment on which this game could have turned, Roloson turned it back the Lightning's way. The Penguins had just scored to tie the game at 2 early in the third period. Seemingly seconds later, the puck came free near the Lightning blue line and Max Talbot was in alone on Roloson. It could have been the game, it could have been the season."
Roloson puts Game 4 loss behind him
"Tampa Bay G Dwayne Roloson tends to cite amnesia when it comes to putting past games behind him. That's exactly what he'll have to have this afternoon in Game 5 against Pittsburgh to try to put Wednesday's double-overtime loss behind him when a shot from the side boards by James Neal hit Roloson's glove before ending up in the net. That goal, however, won't waver the team's confidence in Roloson, who entered Friday ranked second among all goaltenders who have started a game in the playoffs with a .943 save percentage despite suffering three losses. "The way he has performed, he can pull a few rabbits out of his hat, that's for sure. Obviously we hope (today) that the rabbit is pretty big,""
Dwayne Roloson believes he should have stopped winning goal
"Any goalie who hopes to be successful in the postseason needs to have selective amnesia. Lightning goalie Dwayne Roloson needs to have that now more than ever after giving up a goal he would love to have back — the goal that turned out to be the winner in Pittsburgh's 3-2 double-overtime victory in Game 4 Wednesday night. A little more than three minutes into the second overtime, Pittsburgh's James Neal wristed an unscreened shot from a bad angle that sneaked past Roloson's glove and into the net, giving the Penguins a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. "It just knuckled and goes off my glove, crossbar and in," Roloson said. "It's just one of those things that happens, a"
Lightning looks to Dwayne Roloson as key for playoff Game 4
"The Lightning plays its most important game in four years tonight. It's not a must-win game, but it's about as close as you can get to must-win. A victory against the Penguins knots their best-of-seven series at two games apiece. A loss and the Lightning falls behind 3-1 and needs to win three in a row, including two in Pittsburgh. The trick for the Lightning is to figure out how to play such a crucial game. It wants to have emotion but without being too riled up to focus. It wants to play with urgency but without a sense of panic. It wants to play like it's still just a hockey game but knowing full well the outcome is critical. And the Lightning will play with only a handful of players"
Roloson's focus shifts to Game 4 after Bolts' loss
"Lightning goaltender Dwayne Roloson now has a prime opportunity to display one of his most impressive qualities. A short memory. The Pittsburgh Penguins peppered Roloson with two first-period goals — 45 seconds apart. Then they broke a third-period tie, shattering the Lightning's momentum, when Tyler Kennedy shoveled in a rebound past Roloson. It added up to a 3-2 victory against the Lightning in Monday night's Game 3 of the Eastern Conference playoff series at the St. Pete Times Forum. The ebbs and flows — and ultimately, the frustration — of the narrow defeat might linger for a less experienced goaltender. Not for Roloson, 41, who was acquired from the New York Islanders on New Year's"
Dwayne Roloson keeps a steady focus for playoffs
"It almost is comical asking Dwayne Roloson if certain circumstances affect his emotions or focus on the ice. Any scenario presented elicits the same deadpan response. It's no surprise, then, that the Lightning goaltender brushed off the idea he faces added pressure heading into tonight's first-round playoff opener with the Penguins at Consol Energy Center. "There's no added focus at all," he said. "Me trying too hard is not going to help our team win. When you try too hard, the puck usually ends up in your net. Just go out and focus on what you have to do and be ready to play when you get the opportunity." Roloson is fudging. Whether he admits it or not, goalie is the most important"
Bolts' Stanley Cup quest starts with Roloson
"It might come down to one game, one moment, one save. You're there or you're not. That's the life of a playoff goaltender. "You never know when the opportunity is going to come around again," Lightning goaltender Dwayne Roloson said. He's 41, the oldest active goaltender in the NHL and he feels born again. He'll help lead the Bolts into the playoffs for the first time in four years. It has been five years since Roloson played postseason hockey, the 2006 playoffs, a memorable run, but still bittersweet. Dwayne Roloson got hot at just the right time, and the Edmonton Oilers, seeded eighth in the Western Conference, stunned top-seed Detroit, then beat San Jose and Anaheim to reach the Stanley"
Dwayne Roloson, 41, could return to Lightning next season
"You might want to get used to seeing Dwayne Roloson in a Lightning uniform, because all things being equal, and if things can be worked out, there is a good chance the 41-year-old goaltender will be back next season. Yes, this summer was the one in which Tampa Bay, going into the second year of a rebuilding project under general manager Steve Yzerman, was to land its great white free agent whale. But circumstances might dictate a shorter-term approach. First, there won't be that many free agent goalie options. If they don't re-sign, Florida's Tomas Vokoun would top the list, followed by Phoenix's Ilya Bryzgalov, though both likely would be too expensive. Tampa Bay has $10 million tied up"
Dwayne Roloson thankful for padded shirt
"The sizzling shot Dwayne Roloson took off his left collarbone Thursday against the Canadiens left a healthy bruise. But the Lightning goaltender said it likely would have been worse if not for a padded shirt he wore under his normal gear. "Thankfully, we have those shirts," Roloson said, "because (the shot) would have done some damage if we didn't have that extra padding." So shock resistant is the material, head equipment manager Ray Thill said, it can protect a hand from a full-on blow from a hammer. "Want to try?" Thill said. "They demonstrate it all the time." Roloson said he has worn the shirts, not standard issue to goalies, since he played for the Oilers from 2006-09. He hadn't"
Tampa Bay Lightning GM Steve Yzerman exploring goalie trade
"With Mike Smith back from a two-game conditioning stint with AHL Norfolk, the Lightning has three goaltenders on the roster, including No. 1 Dwayne Roloson and Dan Ellis. GM Steve Yzerman said Tuesday he is hunting for a trade ahead of the Feb. 28 deadline — "I'm talking to teams every day, exploring options to see who has an interest or a need" — but might end up sending Smith or Ellis to AHL Norfolk. "It is an option," he said. "Ideally, we want our guys playing. It doesn't do any of the guys any good to sit here not playing." Yzerman said he is in no rush to make a move. "I'm going to let the situation evolve a little bit and see how it goes," he said. Even so, "At some point goalies"
Ageless Roloson brings youthful hunger to Bolts
"Dwayne Roloson and the Tampa Bay Lightning are together for all the right seasons. Minutes after his home debut against the Washington Capitals on Friday, in which he recorded a shutout to secure a 3-0 win that put the Lightning in sole possession of first place in the Southeast Division, the 41-year-old goalie identified one of the elements he'd come to appreciate about his new team. "Their work ethic, their tenacity, their willingness, everything to achieve the ultimate goal," he said. "Everyone's mindset and direction is pointed towards the ultimate goal and that's great." Fittingly, the fervor he senses from the organization that acquired him in a trade on New Year's Day is the same"
Dwayne Roloson, 41, is among NHL's best-conditioned players
"On Manhattan Beach, Calif., is something called the sand dune. It is 100 yards long and 50 feet wide, and it rises at a 45-degree angle. Walking to the top with legs churning and burning through soft sand takes about five minutes and pushes the heart rate to 160 beats per minute, Southern California fitness guru Scot Prohaska said. "There are only a few guys who can run to the top without stopping," he said. "Dwayne Roloson is one of them." He means the Lightning goalie, who at 41 years, 3 months, is the NHL's second-oldest player, behind the Bruins' Mark Recchi, 42, and one of only five 40-year-olds in the league. Tampa Bay on Jan. 1 acquired Roloson from the Islanders to carry its"
Roloson, Lightning blank Capitals, 3-0
"Mattias Ohlund stepped up and dropped Mike Green to the ice. Minutes later, the Lightning defenseman gave Alex Ovechkin a chop to the chops. Ohlund received a penalty for the latter move, but in a way it showed that perhaps Tampa Bay is tired of taking it from Washington. After being shoved around by the Capitals the past three seasons, the Lightning have pushed back with consecutive victories against Washington, including Wednesday's 3-0 victory on home ice. Dwayne Roloson stopped all 23 shots for his second shutout and his third victory in four starts since being acquired on New Year's Day. Dominic Moore, Sean Bergenheim and Simon Gagne all scored as Tampa Bay shut out Washington for the"
Bolts' Roloson provides wins, hope
"He was born on Oct. 12, 1969. "It's just a number," said 41-year-old Dwayne Roloson, the new Lightning goalkeeper. "It's stamped. That's your birthday. It's irrelevant." It has taken only four games, but Roloson already has put a stamp on this ever burgeoning Lightning season. He has silenced Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals twice in eight days. Need anything else? Last week, in his Lightning debut after being picked up from the Islanders on New Year's Day, Roloson pitched a 1-0 shutout against the Cpas, a thriller, stopping 34 shots. Wednesday at the Forum, Roloson was at it again, not nearly as busy (23 shots) or spectacular (he wasn't even voted No. 1 star of the game) but"
Goalies at ease for now
"When it comes to goaltenders, two is company and three is definitely a crowd. That's the case, however, after Tampa Bay acquired Dwayne Roloson from the New York Islanders, pushing Tampa Bay's inventory of NHL goaltenders from two — Dan Ellis and Mike Smith — to three. Carrying three goaltenders on the roster can create an awkward and uncomfortable situation, particularly if it's for any length of time. And while that's not the case yet, as Smith is out for at least another week as he recovers from a knee strain, at one point somebody will wind up as the third member of a goaltending duo. "Right now we don't have three goalies, we have two, so there is nothing different than usual,''"
Lightning goalie Mike Smith says acquiring veteran Dwayne Roloson 'kind of disappointing'
"Lightning G Mike Smith said it is "kind of disappointing" that GM Steve Yzerman decided to bring in veteran G Dwayne Roloson. Nothing against Roloson, but Smith said he is sure having three goalies on the roster, including Dan Ellis, is not workable long term, which means the pressure is on every time he or Ellis is in net. "It's not the ideal situation," Smith said. "So, right now, for me, I have to focus on getting healthy, and when I do get an opportunity, it's that much more important now than ever before. … I know I'm probably going to get another chance. I've just got to take advantage of it." Before he was hurt, Smith played two of his best games of the season in beating the"