Lightning Strikes (Cristodero)

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I report this only because I now feel a lot better about my rant a few weeks back about how the shootout is a gimmick, a terrible way to decide a game and a disservice to the players who have knocked themselves out for 65 minutes.

"I know the people who don't know hockey that well, they sit in the stands and they love it," Tocchet said. "We're a sport that needs people to come and we have to market it. That part, yeah. But as an old, traditional guy, I don't like that part of it. But I understand the marketing part of it. It's an entertainment business."

It also is an aspect of the game at which the Lightning needs to be better. It is 1-4 this season. So the team had a breakaway contest at practice today. Out of 19 skaters (Gary Roberts sat out with an upper body injury), only Jussi Jokinen, Radim Vrbata, Marty St. Louis and Andrej Meszaros scored in the first round.

I thought Tocchet's take on how players view shootouts also was instructive and adds to the incredible weight on the side of shootouts being a terrible gimmick.

"I know when I had a breakaway or a penalty shot years ago, you're nervous," Tocchet said. "I don't think guys are nervous now. I'd like to create some kind of urgency 'We have to win this game.' It's now like guys aren't trying. But it's like, 'It's a shootout.' I don't think there's that overtime feel that if I screw up we're going to lose two points. There's not that urgency."

Asked if that was because a shootout really isn't part of the game, Tocchet said, yes.

"It's weird," he said. "I've seen coaches joking, 'Who do we put out?' like it's a fun thing. So we need to create that urgency."

One method he mentioned: in practice, if you don't score, you skate.

Tocchet said he might try Vrbata in the shootout rotation to replace one of the three who have been staples: Vinny Lecavalier, St. Louis and Jokinen.

"You want to give the proper guys the ball, but there's got to be a time when you say, 'Okay guys, sorry, we have to get some fresh blood in there.' "

Other stuff: Looks like left wing Ryan Malone will play tomorrow against the Predators. ... Evgeny Artyukhin will play left wing with Lecavalier and St. Louis. ... Rookie Steven Stamkos will start at center between Vrbata and Vinny Prospal. Stamkos played so well with Vinny and Marty Tuesday against the Panthers, seemed a bit curious. But Stamkos also played some with Prospal and Vrbata and Tocchet said showed a lot of jump. Generally, though, the changes are Tocchet still trying to find permanent lines. As for Artyukhin, Tocchet said Arty's starts have been slow and wants to put him with linemates who play a fast game to get him involved sooner.

Lightning captain Vinny Lecavalier for the second straight day denied an accusation he was part of a player revolt that on Friday got coach Barry Melrose fired.

Melrose, himself, made the first accusation when he said in several media interviews that players who "didn't want to be accountable," but who he would not name, went to ownership and pressured for Melrose to be fired, an accusation denied by owner Oren Koules and general manager Brian Lawton. On Saturday, Hockey Night in Canada's Al Strachan said in an unsourced report, "I heard Vinny Lecavalier went in to ownership and said, 'I didn't like it under (former coach John) Tortorella. This is worse under this guy and you've got to get rid of him' "

"I didn't do it. I don't know what else to say," Lecavalier said Wednesday. Later, he reiterated, "I'm telling you, I didn't say anything. I don't think any of the guys did. He's just saying that."

Asked if he worries his reputation can be tarnished by such accusations, even if they are not true, Lecavalier said, "To tell you the truth, I don't. (Strachan) said what he had to say ... but there weren't facts."

New Lightning coach Rick Tocchet said he never heard any rumblings about a player revolt. As for accusations hurting Lecavalier's reputation, he said, "I don't think Vinny really cares. ... They're always looking for stories. With him, they're not there."

What is probably there: conversations with players as management and ownership tried to get a handle on its coaching situation. No matter what anyone says, I can't imagine either management or ownership signing off on firing a coach without first at least taking the pulse of the locker room. Does that rise to the level of a revolt or is it players just giving an honest opinion? Until somone offers proof of an organized revolt, I just don't buy it    

To be fair to Strachan, he said he tried to call Vinny but had not gotten him on the phone before he went on the air. Supposedly, Vinny's side of the story will air this Saturday. I don't know what other "side" there is. Lecavalier has denied it twice. Will be interesting to see what else he has to say that he hasn't already.

I did find interesting, though, that the report said Lecavalier found it worse under Melrose than Tortorella. Obviously, someone was not around when things were at their worst with Vinny and Torts. I mean, it was so bad, Vinny asked for a trade. I know Vinny's ties to the community are a lot stronger now, but, outwardly, there was no indication Lecavalier's relationship with Melrose had soured to that extent.

Here's my plea: Melrose would not name names and Strachan's report was anonymous. If someone goes on the record with this stuff (see Tom Jones' Page 2 today), I'll listen to anything. Until then, stop forcing Lecavalier to answer to reporters while those who accuse him hide. 

Stuff from practice: Left wing Ryan Malone (leg) said he believes he could play Friday against the Predators. ... Forty-somethings Mark Recchi and Gary Roberts were given the day off by Tocchet, though both worked out in the training facility at the St. Pete Times Forum. ... The third jersey will be worn Sunday against the Devils.

From the team, which now has 69 games on the tube:

The Lightning and WTOG Channel 44 (CW 44) in Tampa Bay are combining to bring Lightning fans four games of hockey excitement on Saturday nights during the 2008-09 season. Dubbed “High Voltage Saturday Nights,” these games (all of them on the road) will augment the team’s 65-game package brought to fans across the Lightning’s Florida television territory on Sun Sports. The first High Voltage Saturday night game will be Tampa Bay’s game at Colorado on Saturday, Nov. 29 at 9 p.m. ET.

The entire High Voltage schedule:

            Nov. 29             Tampa Bay at Colorado                         9 p.m.
            Dec. 20             Tampa Bay at Atlanta                            7 p.m.
            April 4               Tampa Bay at New York Islanders          7 p.m.
            April 11             Tampa Bay at Atlanta                            7 p.m.

“Our agreement brings four great weekend games to Lightning fans, two of which come right at the end of the season as we make our playoff push,” said Oren Koules, owner and governor of the Lightning. “We appreciate the partnership WTOG-TV Channel 44 is offering us to not only bring ‘High Voltage Saturday Nights’ to our fans but also to help better promote the Lightning in the Tampa Bay market to a key demographic for us.”

In addition to the four-game broadcast schedule on CW44, the station is creating twice-monthly on-air “watch and wins,” as well as a link on its website for High Voltage Saturday Nights. It is also offering pre-promotion for each of the games to be aired on WTOG and purchasing radio spots to promote game broadcasts. CW44’s Gossip Girl, Courtney, will also get involved by talking to Lightning fans for the station’s website.

“WTOG-TV Channel 44 has a long history of providing quality sports entertainment to its viewers that dates back to the inception of the station,” said Laura Caruso, station manager at WTOG. “We understand the important role sports play in our viewer’s lives and we have an obligation to provide those viewers with programming that brings them closer to our local sports teams so this was a natural fit. Both the Lightning and WTOG are dedicated to providing the Tampa Bay area with quality sports entertainment so we are very excited about this partnership.”

First, though, let me say that despite a 4-3 shootout loss on Tuesday, you have to be very happy with what you saw on the ice. Yeah, there are some blips. The penalty kill has to be a lot better. It has allowed six goals in 21 chances in its past four games, and wouldn't you like to see someone just level an opponent in front of the net, just once? And wouldn't it be nice if these guys could finish?

But the jump was outstanding and you finally saw of what Steven Stamkos is capable. He didn't score but he was the Lightning's best player. Helps to play with Marty and Vinny, but still. It's about time he put on a show.

So, one subject that kind of got glossed over with all the Barry Melrose stuff and that I took a few days off over the weekend, was the news that the Lightning has kept in contact with free agent center Mats Sundin. His agent, J.P. Barry, said Tampa Bay was one of 10 teams who have shown interest and that he believes of the Lightning, "There's sincere interest there."

Owner Oren Koules spoke to Sundin at least as early as last week in Los Angeles.

What are we to make of this?

Obviously, if Sundin were to decide to play for Tampa Bay, and that decision might not come for weeks, the team will have to be in a playoff hunt. No way the 37-year-old will play for a non-contender. Perhaps that is another reason the Lightning pulled the trigger on Melrose.

So what are the pros?

Sundin will be a skilled addition and can play the power play and will be motivated. He also will be fresh, having missed training camp and perhaps the first two months of the season.

The cons?

he's 37 with a history of hip problems. He is not one to be a dressing-room leader. So says Ken Campbell, senior writer for the Hockey News who covered the former Maple Leafs star for the Toronto Star. He is, though, a leader by example. Sundin also will cost, about $7-million pro-rated to whenever he signs is the best guess. That will force the Lightning, with 14 forwards and a salary cap number of about $52-million (the limit is $56.7-million) to make some harsh personnel and salary decisions.

So, what do you think? Is he worth the investment? Remember, many things must fall right for Tampa Bay to pull this off, and we haven't even heard, officially, if Sundin is interested. But the agent says the Lightning has "sincere" interest, so we might as well speculate.    

First, let me thank those of you who e-mailed to inquire where I was over the weekend. I know there was a lot of news going on but the weekend was a long-planned break and my first days off since Aug. 31, and I thought Joe Smith kept everyone up to date.

Now, it's time to wrap up this Barry Melrose thing. Talked to him today and he reiterated what he has said during the weekend, that he believes the players revolted against him, though he said he would not name the players he believed were involved. That was a little disappointing, I have to say. Not that I want to start a he-said, she-said, but I just think if you're going to make an accusation like that, you should say to whom you are referring.

Instead, Melrose, who said he is going to be back in broadcasting "pretty quick," offered this when asked if he could say to whom he was referring:

"Nah, I don't think so. I'm done with it now. It's water under the bridge. I'm going to move on with what's going on."

For what it's worth, both Marty St. Louis and Vinny Lecavalier, the team captain, said they had not spoken to either owner Oren Koules or Len Barrie or GM Brian Lawton about Melrose's firing.

"We were not involved in any decisions," Lecavalier said. "I don't think anybody went up there and talked to ownership about it. It was their decision. It's their team."

Melrose said one of the biggest bones of contention he had with ownership and management was the minutes played by No. 1 draft choice Steven Stamkos.

"It was a constant battle between me and the owners," Melrose said. "They wanted Stamkos to play more. They wanted (Radim) Vrbata to play more. They wanted Roberts to play more. Every day was a constant battle. Every conversation was about it. I wouldn't do it. I'm a big believer you have to earn your ice time. If you're not one of best guys, you don't deserve to play, no matter how much you make."

Melrose said Stamkos will be a "great" player. "But he's not a great player right now. ... What you teach is the better he plays the more ice time he gets. That's how you teach people."

So, what have we got here. The bottom line, as Melrose said of Koules and Barrie, "I wasn't a fit for these guys."

But it went both ways. I spoke to enough players today who said Melrose's on-ice structure wasn't what it needed to be. The game certainly is not any more about throwing the puck on the ice and let the best players win. It is about giving players detailed instructions. If this happens, you go here. If that happens, you go there. It's systems. There is a lot to be said for that. I don't think anyone will argue the Lightning was the best team in 2004, but under then-coach John Tortorella, it had the best structure. The players bought it, and the team thrived.

The Tortorella regime also made extensive use of video. Did Melrose? The sentiment was, perhaps not enough.

Melrose's response: "It's (BS). we were one of the best defensive teams in the NHL. We gave up fewer goals in the first period. How do you do that if thet eam doesn't have any structure?"

Melrose is actually correct on the point about first-period goals. Entering tonight's game, Tampa Bay has allowed nine, lowest in the league.

Still, take these two quotes from new coach Rick Tocchet for what they are worth. Neither was in response to any question about Melrose. in both instances he was speaking generally.

"You have to let players know exactly where they are supposed to go and supposed to be. There are no excuses now. For whatever reason, we didn't battle as hard as we should have, and it didn't look like we knew what we were doing on the ice."

And this:

"There won't be any excuses on this team. Guys will know what is expected and what their role is, and once they hit the ice, that's all they'll have to worry about is their play. They don't have to worry about where am I going, I don't know what I'm doing. They're going to have a ton of information."

In a related matter, Melrose said he does not want to coach again. "It was really perfect. My last game was against the Detroit Red Wings, the organization I started with. I think God was trying to tell me something."

So we move on to tonight's game with the Panthers.

Tocchet said an MRI exam on Ryan Malone's injured leg was negative, but did not say when the left wing, who skated briefly this morning, is expected to return. ... Mike Smith is in net. ... F Ryan Craig will be scratched. ... Tocchet spoke of a two-player setup in which he will try to keep two players together to develop chemistry (such as Jussi Jokinen and Mark Recchi) and rotate a third player onto a line. " ... Tocchet said Stamkos will take shifts at right wing with Lecavalier and St. Louis but also play some center. "We have to get him a little more minutes and see what he can do," Tocchet said.          

Interim Lightning coach Rick Tocchet said top pick Steven Stamkos would get his chance to show what he can do.

And Tocchet has followed through; One day after Stamkos played more than 15 minutes against the Hurricanes, he was placed on the wing on a line with Marty St. Louis and Vinny Lecavalier for Monday's practice. Though Tocchet said it's not "set in stone," he thought it'd be a confidence builder for Stamkos, who said he's excited for the opportunity.

"Now," Stamkos said. "The pressure is on me."

Vinny Prospal was moved to center on a line with Matt Pettinger and Radim Vrbata.

*In another injury note, Adam Hall is "day-to-day" with a lower body injury; Tocchet said Hall took a puck off the foot in Sunday's game, and he's questionable for Tuesday's matchup with the Panthers. Ryan Malone (lower body injury) wasn't at practice, but Tocchet said Malone underwent an MRI Monday and is feeling better.

-- JOE SMITH

joesmith@sptimes.com

Interim Lightning coach Rick Tocchet's first practice this morning was only 45 minutes, but it was very structured and high-energy. From breakouts to chalk talk, everything seemed organized, and you could tell the players felt the intensity, as some were left gasping for air at certain points.

Tocchet made it sound like these kinds of up-tempo workouts would be commonplace and become routine, and he hopes it could energize a group that has struggled with consistency.

Some on-ice changes you'll probably see under Tocchet are there will be shorter shifts (40 seconds or so), in hopes of more intensity per shift and heavy forechecking. 

As for the players, the few we got to talk to seemed to share the responsibility for Friday's firing of Barry Melrose. They said it's an unfortunate part of the business, and that the onus is on them now to spark a turnaround.

Said goaltender Olie Kolzig: "I guess it's easier to fire a coach than trade 20 guys. Obviously, we’re underachieving."

Said Marty St. Louis: "We're all responsible here for what's gone on…We have to look at ourselves in the mirror. Ask yourself if you're doing enough. I don’t think a lot of guys can say that right now."

As for other notes, Tocchet said the chances of Ryan Malone playing Sunday is "slim." He will make the trip but will likely get treatment.

For what it's worth, there were some different line combos at Saturday's practice.. Prospal was back with Lecavalier and St. Louis, Jokinen centered a line with Pettinger and Vrbata, and Stamkos centered a line with Roberts and Recchi.

For more on Tocchet's first day and looking ahead, check out Sunday's Times

- JOE SMITH

joesmith@sptimes.com

The Lightning today fired coach Barry Melrose, after 16 games, and named associate coach Rick Tocchet the head coach.

From the team:

Tampa Bay Lightning Head Coach Barry Melrose has been relieved of his duties and Associate Coach Rick Tocchet has been elevated to interim head coach, Executive Vice President & General Manager Brian Lawton announced today. Melrose, 52, was named the sixth head coach in Lightning history on June 24, and compiled a 5-7-4 record this season.

“This was a tough decision to make,” Lawton said. “Barry is a good man and we have a great deal of respect for him. We wish him nothing but success.  However, the results were unacceptable and the players have to understand that we need to be better. Hopefully this change helps push them.

“As for Rick Tocchet, we think this is a great opportunity for him and we believe he’s the type of coach who can take the team to the next level. Our players have a great deal of respect for him.”

Tocchet is in his 25th year in the NHL as either a player or a coach. He played 18 seasons with Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, Boston, Washington and Phoenix, appearing in 1,144 career games and recording 440 goals, 952 points and 2,972 penalty minutes.  He also appeared in 145 playoff games and netted 52 goals with 112 points and 471 penalty minutes.

Shortly after retiring in 2002, Tocchet joined the Colorado Avalanche as an assistant coach.  He spent a season and a half on the bench with the Avalanche before joining former teammate Wayne Gretzky as an assistant coach with the Phoenix Coyotes in 2005. He was named associate coach of the Lightning on July 9, 2008.

Tocchet is one of two players in the history of the NHL to record 400 goals or more and at least 2,500 penalty minutes.  He recorded three 40-goal seasons, two 30-goal seasons and was an 11-time 20-goal scorer. In 1992-93 he set career highs for goals with 48, assists with 61 and points with 109 with the Penguins.  Internationally, Tocchet represented Canada at the 1990 and 1991 World Championship as well as in the 1987 and 1991 Canada Cup tournaments.

The Scarborough, Ontario native won the Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1992 and appeared in the Stanley Cup Finals with Philadelphia in 1987.  He was selected to four NHL All-Star teams (1989, 1990, 1991, 1993). Originally drafted by Philadelphia in the sixth-round, 125th overall, at the 1983 NHL Entry Draft, Tocchet began his career with the Flyers in 1984-85 and retired midway through the 2001-02 season, also with Philadelphia.

Melrose spent three seasons (1992-95) as the head coach in Los Angeles, leading the Kings to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in 1993. Melrose began his coaching career in 1987 when he led the Western Hockey League’s Medicine Hat Tigers to a 44-22-6 record and the Memorial Cup title. Melrose also coached the Seattle Thunderbirds for the 1988-89 season and the Adirondack Red Wings of the American Hockey League for three seasons (1989-92). Melrose guided the Red Wings to the Calder Cup championship in 1991. Prior to joining the Lightning, Melrose served as NHL studio analyst for ESPN and ESPN2.

The Lightning is one of perhaps 10 teams “keeping fairly regular contact” with center Mats Sundin, the agent for the free agent center said.
   “Tampa has different people who have been talking to Mats on a regular basis,” agent J.P. Barry said Friday. “There is definitely sincere interest there.”
   Barry said Sundin, 37, who had 32 goals last season for the Maple Leafs, will begin serious skating next week and could be playing by mid to late December. Barry said he has yet to get a “short list” of potential teams from his client, but believes that could come by the end of November.
   There was no immediate comment from the Lightning.
  It would not be simple for Tampa Bay to make such a move. The team already has 14 forwards and it expects center Jeff Halpern (knee) to be ready by mid to late December. That means it would have to clear out roster and salary space.
   Sundin is expected to sign for about $7-million, pro-rated to the remainder of the season. If he signs on Dec. 12, that’s 60 days, one-third, into the season, so his contract would be for two-thirds of for whatever he signs.
   The Lightning salary cap number is about $52-million. The limit is $56.7-million.
   Finally, Sundin, who is good friends with Tampa Bay wing Gary Roberts, wants to play for a Stanley Cup. Where Tampa Bay stands in terms of playoff contention as things progress likely will have a big impact.

Thanks to Southwest Airlines taking 40 minutes to get me my bags this morning, missed most of the morning fun at the St. Pete Times Forum. But I was able to hear coach Barry Melrose talk glowingly about the Red Wings. Melrose has a long history with the club with which he played 36 games over two seasons in the 1980s. He played four seasons for the AHL Adirondack Red Wings, and was a teammate of Detroit general manager Ken Holland. Melrose coached Adirondack for three years, winning the 1992 Calder Cup title.

"They are the model of every organization," Melrose said of the Red Wings. "Kenny Holland is the best general manager in the NHL. They're an aggressive team, but they have stability and don't panic, and I think that's great for other organizations to see. I think they are one of the five best organizations in the world in sports."

Olie Kolzig gets the start in net and Matt Pettinger gets into the lineup. Melrose said he wanted to try to generate some more offense with Pettinger, and he didn't want Kolzig sitting too long on the dispiriting loss in Washington.

I've been watching the Lightning for a long time and I have to say I believe the team should be ashamed of that performance against the Panthers. Florida is not even on the same page as the Lightning as far as talent, so for Tampa Bay to get just 24 shots (four in the first period), allow two power play goals to the worst team in the league with the man advantage was unacceptable.

And it should be unacceptable to the team. I am really interested to see how they come out against the Red Wings. I know the previous post talked about how unfair the schedule is to the Lightning, and I still think so. But this is a game in which the team has got to muster itself. It does not want to be embarrassed at home, and given how good are the Wings, we know that can happen if Tampa bay shows up like it did against a Panthers team that was 1-5-1 coming in.

Really, this is on the players now. if you have reservations about the coaches, forget it for now. If you have doubts about personnel moves, put them out of your mind. This is mind-set now. The Lightning has the talent to compete. It has shown it. Perhaps on Thursday night we find out if they want to battle, skate and move their feet. And get some shots to the net.

It's a great test, a sixth game in nine nights against a fresh Detroit squad that's mad about Tuesday's loss. It's one of those backs-against-the-wall moments when character is called upon. It will be a great story if Tampa Bay answers. If not, it's another story entirely.

The Panthers should be ashamed of themselves for taking a Barry Melrose quote completely out of context in the promotion of tonight's game and distorting the meaning of what he said.

In the run-up to Wednesday's game the BankAtlantic scoreboard showed Melrose saying what seemed to be like the Lightning would take the night off and beat the Panthers. The trouble was the quote was from more than a month ago and Melrose was talking about making the St. Pete Times Forum such a tough place to play that Lightning OPPONENTS would say to themselves they will take the night off in Tampa and then go to Sunrise and beat the Panthers.

I know in the bigger picture this is just harmless stuff, right? Just a hockey game. What's a little fun?  But this wasn't a wink-wink, nudge-nudge, tongue-in-cheek thing. This was a real attempt to make Melrose sound like he was spitting on the Panthers. Using creative editing to do that is wrong, in any situation.

The Lightning will hold food drives for Metropolitan Ministries at the St. Pete Times Forum before Thursday's game with the Red Wings and the Nov. 21 game with the Predators.

Donations of non-perishable and canned food can be made on the Chrysler/Jeep Plaza. Wives of Lightning players will be on the plaza to help with food and financial donations.

The Lightning is getting the short end of the schedule right now. It is not the five-game road trip; every team goes through those, and worse. But to have Tampa Bay play five games on the road in eight nights and then have it suit up for a sixth game in nine nights at home against the Red Wings is not a way to strike competitive balance.

And it's not just that it's the Red Wings, but a Red Wings team that has Wednesday off and, as it turns out, is probably pretty PO'd about Tuesday's overtime loss. A guy I know predicted the Lightning would have the puck all of 10 minutes against Detroit on Thursday.

Look, I understand about trying to put together a schedule for 30 teams and having to take into account building availability, and all that. But it sees like the Red Wings are getting the greater consideration here. Detroit plays the Panthers on Friday as the second game of a back-to-back, and then has two days off so it can fly home and rest up for Edmonton. The Lightning? It gets back on the road to play Sunday at Carolina.

I know, they're big boys and are paid a lot of money and should be able to handle the stress. On the other hand, Detroit is playing its third back-to-back of the season. The Lightning is playing its second in a week.

This is not a homer rant. It's simply acknowledging a blip in the schedule. The Panthers are going through the same thing. Games in Montreal and Ottawa, fly home to face San Jose, back on the road to play at St. Louis, back home to play the Senators, on the road again for five in three time zones, back home for two and on the road for three.

Just doesn't seem fair, for anybody.

Coach Barry Melrose on Wednesday spoke about skipping Tuesday's practice and handing it over to associate coach Rick Tocchet. If you recall, the coach called a meeting before practice to talk about effort (or lack of it) especially in the first period the past two games.

He joked that goaltender Olie Kolzig's characterization of the meeting as a "scolding" was too strong.

"I don't think it was a scolding," Melrose said. "We've been together 14 games. I think I have a pretty good read on the guys now. The only thing I've asked them from Day 1 is that they are the hardest working team in the NHL every night. I'm a very easy guy to play for. I'm not a big rules guy. I don't think Integrity needs rules. I just ask them to compete every night. When we do that, we're an excellent hockey club. When we try to do it for 20 minutes. When we try to do it for 40 minutes, it costs you, and it cost us against Washington. That's not acceptable."

As for the meeting, Melrose said, "I think it was an airing from my point of view. I let everybody know where I stood with them. It wasn't a meeting to embarrass people. It was a meeting, 'This is where I see us after 14 games.' These are the guys who are buying into what I'm selling, and these are the guys who have got to buy into what I'm selling."

And, finally, on skipping practice: "It was good for them to get another voice in practice. I'll be doing that as the year goes on. I've been with these guys every day ... so it was good for them to have a practice without hearing my voice, and hearing a different voice."

Other stuff from this morning: Melrose said right wing Evgeny Artyukhin (groin) is "100 percent" and will play tonight, though he wasn't sure on what line. Artyukhin had been playing on a line with center Jussi Jokinen and Mark Recchi. But Gary Roberts has two goals and three points in his past two games on that line and is getting power play time, so expect some experimentation with Artyukhin. ... Mike Smith starts in goal. ... Left wing Ryan Malone (believed to be a groin) did not skate and will not play. ... And for all of you who caught the reference yesterday about Melrose making fun of my rental car here in Sunrise, he added this: "And I would just like to say that I'd like to see the St. Pete Times get better cars."       

Kind of an interesting scene outside the team hotel today as we began driving to practice in Coral Springs. Stopped at a red light, we look up and there is coach Barry Melrose waiting to cross the street and get back to the hotel. Strange, since the hotel is near the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise and practice was about 20 minutes from beginning.

So we pull a U-turn and drive up beside him, and after he jokingly insulted my crappy rental car, said he had a meeting with the players and decided it was best to be away from the team for a day.

"Just for a day?" I asked.

He laughed and reiterated it was just for the day.

Apparently, Melrose called a meeting with the players, who were dressing for practice at the BankAtlantic Center and addressed two straight games of terrible first periods, and especially Monday night's effort that saw Tampa Bay fall behind 3-0 to the Capitals in what turned into a 4-2 loss.

Goaltender Olie Kolzig said Melrose gave the players "a good scolding," and decided to skip practice to give everyone a break.

"Maybe he felt it was just time," Kolzig said. "Maybe he just wants to get away from his bratty kids right now, and let us figure it out on our own. We got a pretty good scolding and tomorrow is another day. Just a day to get away, I guess."

Assistant coaches Rick Tocchet, Wes Walz and Cap Raeder ran practice.

"Sometimes guys get tired of hearing him and he gets tired of hearing them," Tocchet said. "Every coach does that. You need a break, have to get away from the team for a second. I honestly don't think it's that big a deal. It really isn't."

And, in fact, we have seen this before from coach John Tortorella. But Torts certainly let his assistants run practices when he thought the players needed a break from him or to use as motivation, which is what Melrose clearly was doing here.

As general manager Brian Lawton said of Melrose, "It's his job to motivate the players."

Anyway, Melrose was particularly angered after Monday's game because it was Kolzig's first game against his former Capitals team. Melrose questioned how teammates did not show up better for one of their own in a big-time situation. It was the second straight game in which Tampa Bay had a lousy first period and went on to outplay an opponent. Saturday against the Flyers, it was a victory. Monday against the Capitals, it was a deflating loss.

"It really comes down to everyone looking at themselves in the mirror and motivating themselves to get ready for the drop of the puck, and not go out there and get a feel for the game before you decide to take off," Kolzig said. "Smitty (goalie Mike Smith) has masked a lot of our problems in the starts of games so they are not as magnified as last night. maybe last night was what it took for us to all wake up and smell the coffee. That's why you play 60 minutes. The good teams are the ones that do it from start to finish."

Speaking of finishing, Wednesday night's game with the Panthers ends a five-game road trip on which Tampa Bay is 1-2-1.

"Hopefully, the boys will respond to it and get a big win tomorrow," Smith said. "A win tomorrow and it's not a bad road trip."

Injury updates: left wing Ryan Malone did not skate and still is listed as day to day with what the team is calling a lower-body injury. ... Right wing Evgeny Artyukhin (groin) skated.

As if the  Capitals weren't enough for the Lightning to worry about, and three first-period goals right now seems way too much to overcome, Tampa Bay lost left wing Ryan Malone in the first period to  a lower-body injury. He will not return. No other word on the injury. Malone played just 2:26 of the first period on three shifts before leaving.

Goaltender Olaf Kolzig doesn't normally speak after the morning skate on days he is playing. But he made an exception Monday as Washington's media showed up in force at the verizon Center to mark Kolzig's return and game against the team for which he played for 16 seasons.

On tonight's game: "I haven't been this nervous before a game since my first NHL game. The butterflies started last night."

On the video tribute the Capitals have planned during the game: "I don't know what to expect. I really don't like getting attention like that during the course of a game. It's awkward. I'll have to keep my emotions in check."

On speaking to reporters before a game: "This is a different situation. Once I leave the building, it's business as usual."

On Caps star Alex Ovechkin saying the way to rattle Kolzig is to shoot near his head and get him mad, something Ovechkin apparently did purposefully to Kolzig during practices: "The difference is in practice when he went high, I couldn't take liberties on him when I was a teammate. Now, heads up."

Kind of makes you think back to the 2005-06 season, the first time Nikolai Khabibulin had a chance to play the Lightning at the St. Pete times Forum -- and bailed. The story was that Khabibulin and then Blackhawks coach Trent Yawney got together on the flight to Tampa and decided Nik wouldn't play. But there was Kolzig embracing the pressure and the attention.

Said Kolzig: "I definitely wanted to play."

Even when coach Barry Melrose gave him the option of opting out.

As Melrose said when asked how Kolzig will handle the emotions of the evening, "A guy like Olie, who played in the Stanley Cup finals, who played in the Olympics, played in the Worlds, Olie will be able to handle it. He's been through a lot. It will be an emotional time and I'm sure he will be thinking about it today, but all the things he's done and all the things he's been through, he'll handle it."

Tough spot for coach Barry Melrose. He needs to get Radim Vrbata into the lineup to show he can do the job they are paying him $3-million a year to do (or to showcase him for a possible trade). But either way, he will be getting some more power play time and it likely will come at the expense of rookie Steven Stamkos, Melrose said.

"Yeah, numbers are numbers," Melrose said. "If Vrbey (my note: is that the correct spelling?) is going to play three or four power play then, yeah. Right now, the Recchi, Malone, Jokinen line is our best power play, so I'm not going to break that up. So if Vrbata goes in, someone gets hurt and it's Steven right now. But we got to get Vrbey going. He's a guy we expect a lot out of offensively, and we need him to start putting the puck in the net for us."

That's a real tough situation for Melrose. We have seen Stamkos getting better as he received more ice time. Even in the Flyers game the other night, he didn't score but his speed created several opportunities. Stamkos is averaging 12:02 of ice time. Melrose has said he wants to see him between 12 and 15 minutes.

Melrose said it is frustrating.

"It is," he said. "We need both of them. We're having trouble scoring and those are two guys we're counting on to score. maybe get one of them going at a time and we'll go from there. But we need Vrbey going. He's a veteran. he's proved he can score in the NHL. We need him to start putting the puck in the net for us."

Vrbata needs to be putting the puck in the net period. Going back to last season, when he failed to score in his last 22 games, Vrbata has zero goals in his past 29.

Other stuff: Olaf Kolzig, as we said, gets the start in net. Interesting that Melrose said he gave Kolzig the option to play. "I know some goalies would rather not play this game. I said that would be no problem. I would just tell the press that I didn't want you to play this game. He said, 'Nope, I want to play this game. I've wanted to play this game since I left.' So it was a slam dunk." ... Defenseman Steve Eminger will get a look on the first power play unit. ... Melrose said right wing Evgeny Artyukhin (groin) is better but still too sore to play tonight. The lineup (other than Kolzig will remain the same). ... Right wing Gary Roberts said getting is first point of the season against the Flyers "really took a load off." ... And on the seventh day of the road trip, we have our first day of sunshine.