Vasilevskiy makes 30 saves, Lightning beat Maple Leafs 1-0

Stamkos put the Lightning up 1-0 at 4 minutes 38 seconds of the first period with a shot from the left circle during a power play.

Of the past nine games, Bernier has started two – he was in goal for a 3-2 loss in Boston on January 16 and for a 7-0 loss in San Jose on January 9.

“We worked hard, we competed hard”, Toronto coach Mike Babcock said.

“I don’t think we can sit here and necessarily say we deserved the two points”, Stamkos said. “But if you don’t have a good start, you’re chasing it. Your playoffs have started at Christmas, and that’s a mental grind on you…We go 8-2 in our last ten and we’re in the wild card spot”.

Lightning captain Steven Stamkos, whose lack of a contract beyond this season continues to dominate headlines – and continues to lead to speculation he will become a Leaf at some point – did not speak to media after Tampa had an optional morning skate.

Tampa Bay entered the All-Star break by winning eight of its last nine games. “Vasie stepped up and had a fantastic game, and gave us a chance to win”. “I don’t think we played very well”.

“I’ve been in that situation a lot, so I just have to do the same thing I’ve been doing lately, even if I haven’t played that much in the past couple of weeks”, said Bernier.

Bernier kept the Maple Leafs close with several nice saves, including one on Alex Killorn’s power-play breakaway, as Toronto was outshot 13-0 during the game’s first 12 1/2 minutes, and 17-6 in the first period.

Corrado has averaged just 10:34 – 18 shifts – a game in his four appearances so far, is a minus-three, and has played with a mishmash of partners, often times on his off-side. It would make him one of the game’s highest paid players, though he would still be a level lower than $10 million players Anze Kopitar, Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews.

Toronto had the final five shots of the first, and Byron Froese hit the crossbar in the final minute.

On the road down south with the midseason break calling their names, the Leafs will no doubt be half in vacation mode, presenting a challenge for the coaching staff in getting their group focused.

We all know it’s going to take more than $8.5 million a year to get Stamkos to sign on for eight more years, but the Lightning have to be willing to offer that much. “The pucks are just not going in”.

Toronto fell to 0-7-6 in games against its Atlantic Division rivals this season.

Goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy’s parents were in town from Russian Federation on Wednesday night, ready to watch their 21-year-old son play in a game for the first time in North America. That said, the Lightning took him with the No. 1 pick in the 2008 NHL Draft and he’s rewarded them by racking up 296 goals and 535 points during his eight years in the league.