Frankly, 'Niitty' has been untouchable

By MARTIN FENNELLY

mfennelly@tampatrib.com

TAMPA - Now, about Frank ?

It was in Philadelphia, when he played for the Flyers, that Lightning goaltender Antero Niittymaki got the nickname.

Then Flyers coach Ken "Yap" Hitchcock took the obvious, required-by-law hockey nickname - Niitty - and turned it on its ear.

So Niittymaki became "Frank" in honor of long-dead prohibition-era Chicago gangster Frank "The Enforcer" Nitti, made famous in the "Untouchables" TV series and movie. Next thing, Niittymaki had Nitti's likeness, a machine gun and even bullet holes painted on his goaltender's mask.

"I'd heard of him, seen the movie," Niittymaki said. "[Nitti] wasn't a very good guy. But I went along with it."

Now the Lightning are going along with Niittymaki, who is very much a good guy, and who has as hot a hand in goal as anyone in hockey.

He's 6-0-1 in his last seven starts with a stunning 1.24 goals-against average and .958 save percentage. This Niitty and his mob are suddenly playoff contenders. He is backing up the Lightning night after night, saving the club from its decided lack of scoring punch. Meet the man who, as much as anyone, has saved this Lightning season.

"He's been unbelievable," Coach Rick Tocchet said.

Niittymaki will make his 13th start in 14 games when the Bolts face the Canucks at the Forum tonight. Mike Smith, the No. 1 Lightning goaltender entering the season, has battled injuries, but even when he has been healthy, we've wondered if he was really worth trading Brad Richards.

We're not saying Niittymaki's streak won't end, but right now he's among the biggest steals of free agency, with Bolts GM Brian Lawton apparently getting this one right.

And to think the 29-year-old Niittymaki had a lot of offers last offseason. He considered playing in Russia. "because I had to," he said. But he's making good on this chance.

It's nothing new. Four years ago, right about this time of year, Finland, a goaltending hotbed, put together its hockey team for the 2006 Winter Olympics.

No Niitty.

"I wasn't on the team in the first place," Niittymaki said.

But Kari Lehtonen and Miikka Kiprusoff dropped out with injuries. Niittymaki got his chance. He only pitched three shutouts in six games and was named Olympic tournament MVP for taking the Finns to the silver medal.

The Winter Games of Vancouver begin Friday.

Niittymaki made the team.

He counts that 2006 Olympics among his greatest moments, along with leading the AHL Philadelphia Phantoms to the 2005 Calder Cup. He was MVP then, too.

But Niittymaki never truly made it big in four full seasons with the Flyers. He was seen as streaky, but he fought hip injuries, plus he was always looking over his shoulder.

"He could win six games in a row, but if he had a bad one, he'd sit," Tocchet said.

"There aren't many No. 1s who are always going to play," Niittymaki said. He thought of New Jersey's Martin Brodeur, also of Vancouver's Roberto Luongo, who the Bolts could face tonight. Niittymaki has never thought in terms of 1 or 2.

"If you think you're a No. 2, you start playing like a No. 2," he said.

Mike Smith sits and waits. Antero Niittymaki is rolling.

He has had few dips this season, one coming after his third child, daughter Alina, was born the day after Christmas - seven weeks premature. It wasn't life threatening (she's fine now) but the stress was there.

"You don't realize it, but there was a lot going on, days going from work to the hospital," Niittymaki said.

Mike Smith picked up the slack, nicely at that.

Right now, there is no slack.

It's been all Frank, and frankly he's been pretty untouchable.

Photo: Antero Niittymaki

Photo Credit: Staff photo by JASON BEHNKEN

Photo: Lightning goalie Antero Niittymaki is 6-0-1 with a .958 save percentage in his last seven starts. He'll get the start tonight against Vancouver.

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