Lightning Strikes (Cristodero)

The Tampa Bay Lightning announced Tuesday that left wing Ryan Malone will be out 10 to 14 days after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. The team said Malone will continue to undergo treatment for a separate upper-body injury that has kept him out of three of the past four games. No other information was immediately available. Malone, 29, started the season on fire with 15 goals in his first 22 games. He had six goals in his next 43 games and zero in his past 15.

Here is the announcement from the team:

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The Tampa Bay Lightning will host Dave Andreychuk Foundation Night on Thursday, March 18, when they take on one of Andreychuk’s former teams, the Buffalo Sabres, at 7:30 p.m.

There are three different ways for fans to score a ticket to the game while also benefiting the Dave Andreychuk Foundation.  For just $100 fans will receive a Brickwall Productions Club ticket, complete with all you can eat food and beverage, a meet and greet with Andreychuk and a $25 donation to the foundation.  For just $75 fans can receive a plaza level ticket, an autographed 8x10 photo of Andreychuk and also make a $10 donation.  Finally, $30 nets fans a terrace level ticket as well as a $5 donation.

The mission of the Dave Andreychuk Foundation is to accomplish three goals: to assist children in need, to support causes for children and families enduring chronic and/or life-threatening illness and to encourage the investment in youth and amateur sports.  The captain of the Lightning’s 2004 Stanley Cup team, Andreychuk retired from the NHL in 2007 and founded his charitable foundation shortly thereafter.  Locally, the Dave Andreychuk Foundation has supported The Children’s Home, St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital and Tampa Bay youth hockey as well as supporting youth hockey in his home town of Hamilton, Ontario.

For more information fans are encouraged to visit www.daveandreychukfoundation.com, contact Ryan West at (813) 301-6851 or by email at rwest@sptimesforum.com.

The league has fined Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Steve Downie $1,000 for taking down Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby during Sunday's game. Downie said he spoke to league disciplinarian Colin Campbell on Tuesday morning. He said there will not be a suspension.

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 "He called it a dangerous play," Downie said.

The play happened early in the first period when the two got tangled up and Crosby fell awkwardly with his right leg pinned underneath Downie. Downie said there was no intent to injure. There was no penalty on the play, and Crosby played the rest of the game.

Downie, who has worked very hard this season to not take stupid penalties, did not want to speculate on if his reputation, based on past actions, might have played into the decision, saying he just wants to move on. But he did say, "If he (Crosby) didn't fall in an awkward position, it wouldn't even be talked about."

Coach Rick Tocchet, however, said Downie's reputation probably did play into the situation. Tocchet only wishes Downie, and the Lightning, would get more rewards for the player stepping away from conflicts, as he has done numerous times this season.

"Like I said, he's got a little bit of a reputation," Tocchet said. "He's going to have to suck some of this stuff up. Guys got tangled up, that's all I saw. But he's going to have to live with that for a while. He's been taking a lot of punches in the mouth, and maybe we can get some power plays from it, because we haven't gotten any from Downs."

You also have to wonder how Downie gets fined $1,000 and Pittsburgh's Matt Cooke, whose gratuitous head shot on Boston's Marc Savard likely ended Savard's season, got away without any discipline. 

More stuff from the morning skate: Antero Niittymaki gets the start in net. ... Star center Steven Stamkos (lower back contusion) did not skate this morning, but said that was more a precaution and the chance to get more treatment. He reiterated he still expects to play tonight against the Coyotes. "It feels pretty good right now," he said, adding he will make a final decision after warmups." Said Tocchet about perhaps being cautious with Stamkos: Obviously, a kid like him, you would never jeopardize his career. If he doesn't play, other guys have to step up. He's a big part of our team, but his career is more important to me than this hockey game, no question. ... If Stamkos doesn't play, Tocchet said center Zenon Konopka, who has missed five games with a mild disc herniation, could play. In any case, Tocchet said Konopka is close. ... Left wing Ryan Malone (upper body) and defenseman Mattias Ohlund (left ankle) are out. Ohlund was walking around with a cast, but said it was only a precaution to keep the ankle stable and would be off in a few days. Tocchet could not offer a timetable for his return: "Could be five days, 10 days, a month, I don't know," he said. ... Tocchet said Coyotes goalie Ilya Bryzgalov should be a candidate for league MVP. Bryzgalov has a league-best eight shutouts. He is fourth with a 2.27 goals-against average and ninth with a .921 save percentage. "He's definitely a chance for the MVP of the league," Tocchet said. "He's had a hell of a year. He's a big goalie. When he's set, there's not much daylight. The one thing I like about Bryzgalov, he's kind of from the old school of (Roberto) Luongo, they don't flip and flop. They're quiet in net. The quieter the goalie, the better positioning. An incredible year, right now."

Tampa Bay Lightning star Steven Stamkos, who sustained a lower back contusion in Sunday's game with the Penguins, said he likely will be ready to play in Tuesday's game with the Coyotes.

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Stamkos, who has a team-best 42 goals, said he had an uncomfortable night trying to find a comfortable position so that he could sleep, seemed a lot loose walking the hallways of the St. Pete Times Forum on Monday.

"I think I'll be good to go tomorrow," he said.

Stamkos was hit in the game's first shift by Pittsburgh's Brooks Orpik as he was taking a shot. The check knocked Stamkos down and he slid into the boards. He finished the game, but as coach Rick Tocchet said, "He gutted it out. I was proud of him."

Stamkos said he will make a final determination at Tuesday's morning skate. Because the contusion is more on the left side of his back and also on his upper gluteus, he said his left side and left leg are most affected.

"It's just kind of like stopping and starting and getting it back up to gear, that's where you really feel it," Stamkos said. "Once you get out there during play, your mind is on something else. It's the physical contact and the stopping and getting back up to the fast game."

Adding to the concern is the uncertainty of what exactly is ailing Marty St. Louis. The left wing said it is nothing more than the usual bumps and bruises.

"I don't think it's something that should affect my play down the stretch," he said.

Even so, losing Stamkos would put more pressure on a team facing another must-win Tuesday against Phoenix after falling 2-1 to the Penguins in a game in which the Lightning went more than 23 minutes without a shot. And even though it seems as if Vinny Lecavalier is heating up with five goals in six games, Tocchet said, "We've got to find scoring. We've got to find that goal. Whatever the way to put that puck in the net, you've got to do it. We've got to find a way to get second goals, those around the net goals. We've just got to find them. It's crucial." 

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Mattias Ohlund was limping noticeably through the Lightning locker room this morning with ice around his left ankle. Coach Rick Tocchet said Ohlund is getting "aggressive" treatment for the injury, which Tocchet said has not required tests but is obviously more than just a bump.

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Ohlund said he didn't know if he would be back on skates in two days five days or seven days. Ohlund was hurt in Thursday's game with the Maple Leafs when he hit the boards with Toronto's Christian Hanson. With Ohlund out, Andrej Meszaros has moved up to the top defensive pairing with Mike Lundin, who was so good Friday against Washington's Alex Ovechkin and gets another tough assignment tonight when he faces Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby.

Injuries have become notable for Tampa Bay as left wing Ryan Malone (upper body) will miss tonight's game with the Penguins. Center Zenon Konopka (back) and David Hale (broken leg) began skating while the Lightning was away on last week's road trip. Konopka, who the team says has a mild disc herniation, said he does not know when he will return and is as frustrated as he ever has ben with an injury that was sustained while he trained over the Olympic break.

"If I push it to hard, which I like to do, I take a step back," he said. "And the way I play isn't overly conducive to coming back from a bad back. I haven't missed a lot of time with injuries. I play through most injuries, and the injuries I've had were at the start of the year or the end of the year. This missing games in the middle of the year is something weird. It's a mental battle too. It's nothing major but it's one of those things where it takes time. I'm not a very patient person, especially with these critical games." 

Other stuff from the morning skate: Only about half the team participated. Players had the option of skating Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning. ... No surprise, Antero Niittymaki will get the start in goal after his superb effort Friday against Washington. ... Speaking of the Capitals, is it just me or are you sick of reading how Washington had a "letdown" against Tampa Bay, or that Washington's goalie let in soft goals? Truthfully, after the first 10 minutes of the second period, the Lightning was in control of that game. How about this? Tampa Bay simply outplayed the Caps that night. ... Maybe this is too much of a stretch, but doesn't it seem the Lightning stopped backing down to the Capitals after Steve Downie stood up to Ovechkin in Tampa Bay's 7-4 win on Jan. 12? Tocchet said it is plausible. "I wasn't too happy with the way we played Washington last year," Tocchet said. "It was like we got sand kicked in the face from the bully all the time, and we took it. The game in here when Downie and Ovechkin went at it all night, yeah, I can see that as a stepping stone. It changed the attitude for us." ... We had a story in the paper earlier in the season about how Mike Lundin plays so well against the top players in the league. He did it again Friday against Ovechkin, and gets another tough assignment today with Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby. How has Lundin made such a huge leap in one year? "The biggest knock on him was we needed him to be more aggressive," Tocchet said. "He's not going to be running guys, but he an be aggressive and getting in front of people's faces and taking pucks off guys. Some of the best defensemen in the league are like that. Nick Lidstrom, he's not going to kill you but he's always in front of you knocking pucks away from you. That was the aggressiveness we were looking for." ... Downie continues to impress, not just with his offense but with the way he controls his anger. It was a small moment in Friday's game with the Capitals when Downie was blasted by Washington's Shaone Morrisonn and ended up with a bloody nose. "The old Steve Downie, I don't know, he would have did something stupid. He was calm. It's maturity. 'It's not the right time.' And he played really well after that, too. The right time came was when Downie jumped into a fray Thursday against Toronto's Dion Phaneuf, who took a poke at Steven Stamkos. ... And finally this from Tocchet about today's game with the Penguins, "This is a playoff game for us."

We all have read the outpouring of hate directed at Penguins trouble-maker Matt Cooke after his blind-side hit on Boston's Marc Savard. And we have heard how the hit, though not penalized or disciplined by the NHL, likely was the catalyst, along with the public and media outcry,  to get the league's GMs to recommend that such hits be made illegal. Cook spoke to Pittsburgh reporters.

Here is the Q & A:

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We you surprised by the NHL's lack of action against you? "I prepared for the league to make a decision; either way I was going to have to deal with it. They did their homework, obviously, with the timing of the GM meetings. Right now, my thoughts are with Savard, and I hope he gets a speedy recovery because it wasn't my intention to hurt him."

Have you made contact with Savard? "I went to as big of lengths as I could to make sure he got a message from me ... (but) I didn't speak to him."

Do you feel  you'll be a marked man now? "I don't know if it's any different than it was before."

Have you had a chance to read the proposed rule, and will it make it any clearer? "I hope that it does bring clarification to what's allowed and what's not. I know they worked hard on it. I know there are strict concerns. I hope it brings clarification."

Does it? "Yeah, I think it does. I think it protects guys in certain areas of the ice."

Would it be easier to have an outright ban on blows to the head? "My personal opinion on that is the speed of the game is so great, it's impossible to do that. I think they are going in the right direction."

Do you see the rule as something that will make players think twice? "I think it's going to make sure you're in that area, and that guys are protected."

One Tampa Bay Lightning note as the team did not skate this morning: Antero Niittymaki gets the start in goal against the Capitals.

Tampa Bay Lightning captain Vinny Lecavalier the other day said the shoulder-to-head hit Pittsburgh's Matt Cooke put on Boston's Marc Savard made him "sick." But now that the NHL has decided the hit, which was not penalized, does not warrant a suspension or fine, Lecavalier took it a bit further, saying he is "upset" Cooke was not disciplined and that the left wing is a dirty player.

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It was Cooke's hit on Lecavalier, who was not carrying the puck in April 2008, that separated Lecavalier's shoulder, which needed surgery.

"It's upsetting, and it has nothing to do with what happened to me," Lecavalier said Thursday. "I just can't believe the league is letting him get away with that, a guy like that. He hurts guys. He's a dirty player. He's running around the ice looking for hits like that when guys aren't looking. For the league to protect him; they said Mike Richards' hit and his were the same. Mike Richards is not a dirty player."

To interject, Philadelphia's Richards in October clobbered Florida's David Booth with a shoulder-to-head hit. Booth was taken off on a stretcher and Richards was given a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct.

"But Mike Richards isn't a dirty player," Lecavalier continued. "You've got to look at intentions, and Matt Cooke's intention was to hurt Marc Savard. I don't think anybody is going to argue with what I'm saying."

League GMs on Wednesday recommended a rule change to ban blind-side and lateral hits to the head. Incidents would warrant a two- or five-minute penalty at the referees discretion. Lecavalier said he wants to see all head shots banned.

"We have to protect guys," he said. "Hits to the head have been there a long time, but guys are getting stronger and faster. They've cracked down on hits from behind and they have to do the same thing with hits to the head. if they change the rule, it doesn't mean it will never happen, but at least make a rule that will have consequences, not like this guy (Cooke) running around and hurting guys and getting away with it."

More stuff from the morning skate: Mike Smith gets the start in net. Asked if Antero Niittymaki will start Friday against the Capitals, coach Rick Tocchet said he wasn't sure. "We're day-to-day here," he said of his inconsistent netminders. ... Ryan Malone (upper body) skated this morning and likely will be back in the lineup, though there was no word where. Malone missed one game with what he said was a long-time lingering issue that is "minor." Less so is that Malone has zero goals in 14 games and two in his past 26. "When you're not helping the team it's obviously frustrating," he said. "We've been struggling a little bit of late and you want to help out as much as you can. When you're winning, it doesn't really matter too much, but when you start losing you start looking upon yourself a little bit more to help out and chip in." The theory was floated that Malone, who played on a line with Steven Stamkos for much of the season and with him on the power play, wasn't scoring because Stamkos was scoring so much and not providing rebounds. "Yeah, that's half the battle probably," Malone said. "He's come a long way from missing the net on every shot last year. It's amazing what happens when he hits the net. Especially the last few games, he's really trying to raise his game. You  can see he's playing with a lot of desperation right now to do whatever he can to lead us. It's just great." ... Former Lightning Gary Roberts, who trained Stamkos last summer and will do so again next summer, will also be training Steve Downie. The right wing worked out last summer with Tampa Bay trainer Chuck Lobe in Minneapolis. Downie, who with 16 goals, 39 points and a team-best plus-19 is having a breakout season, said he would do it again, except it is so far away from his Ontario, Canada home. That said, "I know Stammer did a great job last year and Gary is well-known around the hockey world for his work ethic and routines, so I think it will be a good fit for me. I'm excited." ... Spoke to rookie defense Victor Hedman about his drop-off in play, especially from his high-caliber start. He agreed he has not been at his best --he is minus-7 his past six games -- but said it was his inexperience that is causing the dip. Asked if he was feeling any fatigue in his first NHL season, Hedman, who said the most games he has ever played in the Swedish elite league was in the 50s, said no. "I fee well-rested," he said. "I have a lot of energy. You make some mistakes sometimes, but it's not because I'm tired, maybe because of a lack of experience and stuff." Coach Rick Tocchet said Hedman needs to be stronger around the corners and in front of the net, but did not rule out Hedman, averaging 21:34 of ice time, might have hit a wall. "That's the million-dollar question," Tocchet said. "I can't give you an answer, but to be a professional, playing 82 games, training camp, it's hard. It's something you have to train your mind and body. Everybody has raised their level on other teams, too. Guys are holding the puck a lot harder, guys are blocking shots and going in front of the net a lot harder. mentally, you have to match that or surpass it. It's tough. It's part of his maturing process." ... With Stamkos returning to what is basically his home town of Toronto -- he grew up about an hour north in Unionville, Ontario, -- the love-in was in full swing with cameras and notepads all around him after the morning skate. How good has Stamkos been? Since Feb. 17 last season, his 57 goals are second in the league, two behind Alex Ovechkin.

Times sports columnist Gary Shelton will be taking readers' questions during a live chat today from noon to 1 p.m. in Gary's and John Romano's "The Point After" blog. Gary will talk Bucs, Rays, Lightning, college sports or anything else that you like.

NHL general managers on Wednesday recommended a rules change that would ban head shots players do not see coming.

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The rule would levy a minor or major penalty, at the referee's discretion, for "lateral" or "blind side" hits aimed at the head. The vote too recommend the rule change was unanimous. But league disciplinarian Colin Campbell did not penalize Pittsburgh's Matt Cooke for his blind side should hit to the head on Boston's Marc Savard. It is assumed had the new rule been in place, Cooke would have at least been penalized, which he was not during the game.

Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Marty St. Louis spoke about head shots on Tuesday in Montreal.

"In terms of head shots, there's no room for that in our game, especially with the speed of the game and the amount of head injuries we've had this year alone," he said. "They're suspending guys, but repeat offenders have to be suspended even more. It's the only way you can police it as well, maybe take the instigator rule out. Then those guys know there will be someone coming after them. ... It's an important part. Guys are missing  a lot of games because of head injuries, and the head is pretty important for a guys' life after hockey. You can get your knees redone and shoulders, but the head is a hard one, so you have to be even more strict as to how you're going to make guys pay for their actions."

Coach Rick Tocchet, a long proponent of getting rid of the instigator to reduce head shots, reiterated the point.

"If there's a good player on the other team vulnerable and out of position, and you know if you're going to hammer this guy, you have to pay the price, I don't know if those guys know that," Tocchet said. "They don't have to pay the price any more. I think that's the key to the whole thing."

Tocchet was torn on the subject. He said if you made all hits to the head illegal "players would adjust to it," as have players in the NFL, which has strict rules against hits to the head. On the other hand, there is this:

"As a coach, a player comes to the bench and says, 'I didn't want to hit him because he was in a vulnerable position,' and the guy goes and scores a goal. What do you say to that player? It's a tough decision to do."

As for what Cooke did to Savard, Tocchet said, "Marc Savard, his head was up, it was from the side. Was it legal? Well, yeah, (Cooke) had his shoulder and he didn't have his elbow up. But was (Savard) in a vulnerable position? Absolutely. Could Matt Cooke have slowed up and hit him in his chest? He probably could have. I think I heard (Maple Leafs coach) Ron Wilson say, and some of the coaches, 'He knew what he was doing.' "

So do players, Tocchet said, who run at those who cannot defend themselves:

"To me when there's a guy in a vulnerable position -- the guy has lost his edge and he has no idea where the puck is and a guy comes and steamrolls him -- you're literally there to hurt a guy. That's the respect factor everybody talks about.

Here is the announcement from the team:

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 The Tampa Bay Lightning has launched an aggressive season ticket sales campaign for the 2010-11 regular season, the club announced today.  Current and new season ticket holders will be able to realize outstanding value if they lock-in their commitments by April 3, 2010.

All fans purchasing 2010-11 season tickets prior to April 3 will receive an average savings of 4.9% from the 2009-10 season. Current season ticket holders who renew by April 3 will receive an even greater average savings for their continuing loyalty.

These are difficult economic times for our fans,” said Lightning business advisor Sean Henry. “Our goal is to ‘Bring It Back’, and first and foremost we need to bring back our fans.  In addition to providing these outstanding values, we hope to bring back our fans by bringing back the passion, the excitement, the grit, the winning attitude, and the great fan experience in the St. Pete Times Forum.

"Our fans need to purchase their season tickets now to capture these terrific values,” said Henry. “Season ticket prices will never be lower, and the benefits being offered for those who lock in their seats by April 3rd will never be better.”

Season ticket holders renewing or purchasing new season tickets by April 3rd will receive substantial playoff benefits---they will guarantee their seating location for potential home NHL playoff games in 2010, save up to 15% off the face value on those seats and have the opportunity to sign up for “Cheer Now, Pay Later,” which allows fans to pay for playoff tickets after the games have been played.

Additionally, those who purchase by the April 3rd deadline will qualify for other outstanding benefits----a VIP party held that afternoon at the St. Pete Times Forum, featuring Lightning personalities and alumni, interest free payment plans, free merchandise and more. Early renewals will also be entered in a contest to win great prizes from the team, including a road trip with the team in the 2010-11 season, rounds of golf with Lightning personalities, post game meet and greets and autographed items.

Specific highlights of the 2010-11 Season Ticket Program feature a reduction of 9% percent for plaza level sideline tickets (from an average of $81 per game to $74 per game) and 11% and 17% reductions in Channelside Club tickets, depending on seating location within the club. Also, “Times Toppers” seats (sponsored by the St. Petersburg Times in select sections of the Terrace Level) will remain flat at $6 per game ($239 for the season), which will continue to make affordable season tickets available to Lightning fans.

2010-11 Early Season Ticket Renewals (by April 3)

                                                                                 Early                 Per Game

Seating Location                           2009-10             Renewal Price           Price

XO VIP Club (Row A)                     $12,999                    $9,999                 $238     

XO VIP Club (Row B)                     $6,999                    $5,999                 $143

Channelside Club (4th Floor)        $6,500                    $5,799                 $138

Channelside Club (5th Floor)        $6,500                    $5,399                 $129

Plaza Sideline                               $3,399                    $3,099                   $74

Plaza Middle – Attack                    $2,199                    $2,199                   $52

Plaza Middle - Defensive               $1,799                    $1,799                   $43

Plaza Corner – Attack                   $2,199                    $2,199                   $52

Plaza End Zone – Attack               $2,199                    $1,799                   $43

Plaza End Zone - Defensive  (Row C-J)      $1,799                    $1,799              $43

Plaza End Zone – Defensive (Row K & Up)    $1,499                    $1,499         $36

Club Sideline                                 $3,299                    $2,999                   $71

Club End Zone                              $1,799                    $1,799                   $43

Terrace Sideline                            $959                       $959                   $23

Terrace Corner & End Zone          $559                       $559                   $13

Times Topper                                $239                       $239                     $6 

Prices do not include applicable taxes and fees.  Prices are subject to change and availability. 

2010-11 Early New Season Tickets (by April 3)

                                                                          Early New                   Per Game

Seating Location                                        Season Ticket Price              Price

XO VIP Club (Row A)                                            $9,999           $238                       

XO VIP Club (Row B)                                            $5,999                             $143

Channelside Club (4th Floor)                                   $5,799                             $138

Channelside Club (5th Floor)                                   $5,399                             $129

Plaza Sideline                                                      $3,099                               $74

Plaza Corner                                                        $2,199                               $52

Plaza End Zone                                                   $1,799                               $43

Club Sideline                                                       $2,999                               $71

Club End Zone                                                     $1,799                               $43

Terrace Sideline                                                   $1,199                               $29

Terrace End Zone                                                    $599                               $14

Times Toppers                                                        $239                                 $6 

Prices do not include applicable taxes and fees.  Prices are subject to change and availability.

The Tampa Bay Lightning's injury report grew substantially before Tuesday's game with the Canadiens as center Zenon Konopka was listed out for at least a week with back spasms that have bothered him off and on, and left wing Ryan Malone is questionable with an upper-body injury that coach Rick Tocchet said has been a lingering thing. As for Marty St. Louis, the left wing is expected to play, or at least evaluate how he feels during warmups and in his first shifts.

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St. Louis said he was not diagnosed with a concussion from the back of his head hitting the end boards Saturday after he was hit, without the puck by Atlanta's Clarke MacArthur. He said he missed Monday's practice as a precaution. He rode the stationary bike and took a neurological test he said was normal.  He skated in Tuesday's morning workout and said he has no ill effects.

"The fact of the matter is I had no balance for 45 seconds (Saturday), so you have to address it in the right way," St. Louis said. "I think we did that. I pushed myself on the (stationary) bike and got my heart rate up over 175 and felt fine. ... The only difference now is you have to put your mind into a game. If I don't feel my mind is in the right place, only game experience can make you get a fair assessment of how you feel. I don't want to hurt myself trying to help the team, either. I'm going to give it a try and see how I feel. I'm positive I'm going to feel fine."

St. Louis, fifth in the league with 78 points, said the whole situation was scary.

"The back of my head hit the board, and back there is your vision and balance, and both were pretty shaky at the time," St. Louis said. "I was aware. I was trying to get out of the way of the scrum and had a tough time putting my foot in front of the other. But once I skated off the ice, it was me skating myself. I had full balance and everything. It probably took about a minute or so to get back to normal. I didn't have light legs or was light-headed heading off the ice. I was aware of everything. ... Was it a scary moment? Absolutely, when you're there on the ice and can't put one foot in front and your family is in the stands. It's hard. It's part of the game."

Asked about the current debate at the GM meetings about what to do with head shots, St. Louis wanted it clear he did not believe MacArthur's hit on him was a head shot. That said, about head shots, he added, "There's no room for that in the game, especially with the speed of the game now and the amount of head injuries we've had this year alone. They're suspending guys, but repeat offenders have to be suspended even more. It's the only way you can police it. Maybe take the instigator rule out. Then those guys know there will be somebody coming after them. It's important. Guys are missing games because of head injuries, and the head is pretty important for life after hockey. You can get your knees redone and shoulders and stuff, but the head is a hard one. You have to be even more strict as to how you're going to make guys pay for their actions."

Other stuff from the morning skate: So, we finally know that defenseman Kurtis Foster is not the only Lightning player who can shatter a pane of glass. Center Steven Stamkos shattered, on consecutive shots, two panes that were right next to each other behind a net during the morning skate at the Bell Centre. "I've never done anything like that before," Stamkos said. "I was working on the one-timer and missed the net and broke two pieces of glass." The funny part was the way the rest of the players immediately began taking shots at the two shattered pieces of glass that were not completely broken and were still standing in their grooves. Shot after shot hit the glass, and glass kept crumbling onto the ice, but the panes would not fall. "The 7-year-old kids in every one of us came out," Stamkos said. Said Tocchet: "It was like angry sharks, man. We were waiting for the closer, Fozzie." That would be Foster, who has broken four panes of glass during games this season. But Foster was not part of the frenzy of shots at the glass. ... What does the Lightning lose without Konopka? "Leadership, obviously toughness," Tocchet said. "He's probably our best guy on the bench, keeping guys alive. It's a big hole. He's a big part of our team." ... Want to know why the Lightning is fighting for a playoff spot rather than in the top eight? A

Here is the announcement from the league:

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Colorado Avalanche right wing Chris Stewart, Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos and Florida Panthers defenseman Bryan McCabe have been named the NHL 'Three Stars' for the week ending Sunday.

FIRST STAR -- CHRIS STEWART, RW, COLORADO AVALANCHE

Stewart led all NHL scorers last week with nine points (five goals, four assists) in four games as the Avalanche (37-22-6) closed the week two points behind the first-place Vancouver Canucks in the Northwest Division title race. Stewart tallied one goal and one assist in a 3-2 loss to the Detroit Red Wings Mar. 1, recorded one goal and two assists in a 4-3 victory over the Anaheim Ducks Mar. 3 and notched his first career NHL hat trick and an assist in a 7-3 win over the St. Louis Blues Mar. 6. While the Avalanche rookie corps has earned well-deserved praise, the 22-year-old Stewart is enjoying one of the top seasons by a sophomore in the NHL. Colorado’s first-round choice, 18th overall, in the 2006 Entry Draft, Stewart leads the team in goals (24), plus-minus (+13) and shots (172) and ranks second in points (24-27-51).

SECOND STAR -- STEVEN STAMKOS, C, TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING

Stamkos continued his recent goal binge by tallying five times in three games last week, extending the NHL's longest active point streak to 16 games. He scored twice in a 7-2 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers Mar. 2, recorded one goal in a 5-4 loss to the Washington Capitals Mar. 4 and reached the 40-goal mark with a two-goal, one-assist effort in a 6-2 victory over the Atlanta Thrashers Mar. 6. With 15 goals in his past 15 games, Stamkos has climbed to third in the NHL goal-scoring race behind Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby (44) and Washington's Alex Ovechkin (42). He also is tied for the League lead in power-play goals (16). The 20-year-old Markham, Ontario native is bidding to become the youngest player to score 50 goals in a season since Los Angeles' Jimmy Carson in 1987-88 (19 years, eight months) and the third-youngest 50-goal man in League history behind Carson and Wayne Gretzky (19 years, two months with Edmonton in 1979-80).

THIRD STAR -- BRYAN McCABE, D, FLORIDA PANTHERS

McCabe helped the Panthers break out of a recent scoring drought by leading NHL defensemen in points last week with eight (one goal, seven assists) in three games. He tallied one assist in a 4-2 loss to the Atlanta Thrashers Mar. 2, posted a season-high four points (one goal, three assists) in a 7-4 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers Mar. 3 and finished the week with three assists in a 4-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes Mar. 6. McCabe ranks fifth on the Panthers in scoring with 34 points (eight goals, 26 assists) and leads the club in average ice time per game (22:23).

Safe to say Tampa Bay Lightning captain Vinny Lecavalier and Penguins trouble-maker Matt Cooke are not best of friends. It was Cooke who ended Lecavalier's 2007-08 season with a check that dislocated Lecavalier's shoulder that needed surgery. Cooke then turtled the next season when Lecavalier tried to fight him.

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In fairness to Cooke, he said the check on Lecavalier, who did not have the puck at the time, was really aimed at Michel Ouellet and that Lecavalier, skating next to Ouellet got in the way. But Cooke's reputation as a dirty player who rarely fights precedes him, so when Cooke laid our Boston's Marc Savard with a blind-side shoulder hit to the head, certainly people weren't surprised, including Lecavalier.

"It makes me sick," Lecavalier said of the hit. "That's the type of player he is. He runs around and he hits guys when they are in a vulnerable position. I hope the league does something about it. If they don't, it's going to be a big mistake, especially protecting a guy like him who has previous times hit guys dirty. I think they should suspend him more than one game."

I wasn't able to make it to practice today as I had to catch a flight to Montreal for the start of this week's road trip. But Marty St. Louis, who has been on fire, sat out practice for what the team said was "body maintenance." The left wing bashed his head on the end boards at the end of Saturday's game with the thrashers when he was run over by Atlanta's Clarke MacArthur.

St. Louis rode the bike today, apparently, without problems.

Said center Steven Stamkos, the NHL's second star for the week ending Sunday: "From what I know, and being around Marty, he'll be in the lineup. He's a leader for us. He just took the day to relax. He'll be ready to go."

The Lightning recalled C Paul Szczechura from the Norfolk Admirals on Saturday and is expected to be in the lineup. He had played in 37 games for Tampa Bay (two goals, one assist). Coach Rick Tocchet also said that RW Brandon Bochenski, recalled from Norfolk on Tuesday but barely played against Philadelphia and then didn't dress for Thursday's game at Washington, would be in the lineup.
 

-- Brian Landman

The Lightning has a new owner, and Times sports columnist Gary Shelton says he wants assurances this isn't Oren Koules all over again in this video report from "The Lineup,'' 6-6:30 p.m. weeknights on Bright House Sports Network.

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 Jeff Vinik's main goal as owner of the Lightning is to bring the passion for hockey back to the Tampa Bay area.

"My objective ... is to bring back a consistent winning hockey team and bring back the Stanley Cup to Tampa Bay,'' Vinik said during a news conference today at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa.

The news conference, which NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and former Lightning player Dave Andreychuk, among others, attended, was part of Vinik's introduction to the bay area.
 

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The Boston hedge fund manager, who, officially became the Lightning's fifth owner on Wednesday, also met with sponsors and government officials and will take questions from fans from 5-7 tonight at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa.

New Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik and star center Steven Stamkos will appear from 5-7 p.m. Friday at the St. Pete Times Forum for a special edition of the team's popular Unplugged series. The gathering, which will include a question-and-answer period, will take place in the arena's lower bowl. Season-ticket holders can participate in an open skate on the Times Forum ice until 8 p.m. 

Teddy Purcell, part of the Tampa Bay Lightning's only trade-deadline deal on Wednesday, was on the ice for Thursday's morning skate and will wear No. 16. The bigger question is with whom will he play? Coach Rick Tocchet said on Wednesday he might slot Purcell in on Vinny Lecavalier's line, but on Thursday Tocchet said he is still trying to figure it all out. Lecavalier, too, said he had not been told who his line mates will be.

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Either way, Purcell, traded with a 2010 third-round draft pick for Jeff Halpern, said he is excited to get a "fresh start" with Tampa Bay after being a scratch in 18 of his final 22 games with the Kings.

"At the beginning of the year I was playing a lot of minutes and playing a lot of power play and feeling comfortable," Purcell said. "For whatever reason, the points weren't coming. I'm an offensive type of guy. The chances were there. The points just weren't coming. The coach decided to mix some things up, and the last little while I was bouncing around between the fourth line and not playing, not a lot of power play, not a lot of minutes. This is a fresh start for me, so I'm looking forward to it."

It would seem Lecavalier's line would be a good place to start. We heard a lot from GM Brian Lawton on Wednesday about Purcell's untapped potential and how he is a potential "diamond in the rough," so why fool around. Put him with Lecavalier and let's see what he can do. Maybe they can help each other."

Tocchet was asked if he ever considered splitting up center Steven Stamkos and wing Marty St. Louis so as to pair St. Louis and Lecavalier in the seemingly never-ending quest to get Lecavalier going.

"We discussed it, but you break that up, and if things don't work, then what do you do? Did you kill the mojo?" Tocchet said. "They work so well together.  I mean, it's hard to break up a guy like Stammer, with the pace he's on, and Marty. It really is. I know where you're coming from, and I've done it a few times, three or four shifts a game, where I've tried to get Vinny on with Stammer and Marty."   

Some interesting stuff on Purcell:

He attended the same high school as Lecavalier -- Athol Murray College of Notre Dame in Wilcox, Saskatchewan. Of course, Purcell was there (in 2003-04) well after Lecavalier left. But having attended the school of 450 in a small rural town of 222 creates an instant bond. "It definitely is that way," Lecavalier said. "I didn't realize he went there. It's fun. We can share stories. There's definitely a bond." Purcell agreed. "It's such a small place. It's built around that hockey school. So, if you went to Notre Dame, there's that kind of instant bond right away. It's a good ice-breaker." Asked for a funny story about Notre Dame, Purcell told of the day he first showed up. "The guy picked me up at the airport, and it's about 30 minutes away. I had my roller blades in the bag and he asked what I was going to do that day. I said, 'I don't know. Maybe put on my roller blades and run around town and see what it's about.' He said, 'No, you won't.' I was like, 'My roller blades are right there.' He said, 'There are no paved roads.' he wasn't lying. So, that was my welcome to Notre Dame moment."

Purcell has the same agent as Lecavalier -- Boston-based Kent Hughes.

Purcell said he found out he was traded by watching Canada's TSN, the equivalent of ESPN. "We had practice (Wednesday) and we're all watching TradeCentre. We're all sitting around the dressing room watching it.  'Halpern is going to LA.' At first we thought it was going to be for a draft pick, and, then, two minutes later, 'More news on the Halpern trade. Teddy Purcell is going the other way.' " Nobody knew how to react. All the guys were around. It was a little awkward at first, but  that's part of it. I'll survive. We kind of laughed and joked about it afterward." Asked if he would have liked to have been notified by the team, Purcell said, "I mean, maybe a phone call or something. But at the end of the day it would have happened either way. I always try to take a positive. I was around all my buddies when I found out. Either way, I was getting traded, so it doesn't really matter. it's just kind of a funny story, I guess."

Other stuff from the morning skate: Mike Smith gets the start in net. ... Defenseman Matt Walker (lower body) skated this morning but will not play, but it sounds as if he almost is ready to go. ... The defensive pairing of Mike Lundin and Victor Hedman did so well the last time the two teams played, it has been reestablished for at least one game. ... Center Zenon Konopka said he will miss Jeff Halpern more as a buddy than as a player. Konopka has been the architect of the Tampa Bay locker room, making it one of the closest in the league. So when Halpern said he has never been part of a better locker room, Konopka took it as a compliment. "It's amazing that he said that, and I do take it as a compliment," Konopka said. "He was part of the glue that kept things together here. We worked hard on this group at the end of last year to the start of this year, to where we are now. We're in a much better place as a dressing room, and that's great to see." Konopka continued, "Not only is (Halpern) a a terrific guy, he's an intelligent guy, too. A lot of the decisions maybe weren't made by him, but they went through him, and they always had his stamp of approval with what went on here. To not have that stamp of approval is tough." Asked who takes over, Konopka said, "I don't think one person can replace him. It will have to be kind of a group effort. I was more rattled losing him as a friend than a teammate." ... Speaking of getting traded, coach Rick Tocchet had a good story about his days as a player when the process was less than delicate. He said the coach would get called off the ice during a practice and the players, basically, would wait for him to get back with the news of who was gone. While they waited, "We would just skate around for 20 minutes, waiting." Now, the process is more civilized, he said. "You try to make it as comfortable as possible. You try to make some concessions to make it a little easier, but the anxiety is still there." ... Not for Konopka, who said after playing in the minors for so long, he's just happy to be in the league. "I've been through a lot of weird situations in a lot of leagues where you're not treated nearly as well as you are up here. When you get traded in the East Coast league, you kind of have to find your own way down there. It's not a first-class thing, so nothing else can break you. Here, you're at the best level in the world. Too many people worry enough for all of us."           

The NHL’s Board of Governors today unanimously approved the sale of the Lightning to Jeffrey Vinik, the league announced in a news release. This was the final step in the sale of Tampa Bay's hockey team to the Boston hedgefund manager.

Here is the official release from the Lightning:

"Tampa Bay Sports and Entertainment LLC, a company controlled by Jeff Vinik, closed on its purchase of the Tampa Bay Lightning, the club announced today. The purchase also includes the lease to the St. Pete Times Forum and ownership of adjacent real estate. Vinik is the Chairman of the Lightning and the club’s Governor on the National Hockey League’s Board of Governors.
 
"The acquisition of the team was approved unanimously by the NHL Board of Governors. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
 
“The Lightning is a great franchise in a terrific community,” said Vinik who signed a purchase agreement to buy the team on February 4, 2010. “We thank Oren Koules and his partners for beginning the turn-around of the Lightning hockey club. Our goal now is to build a world-class organization, on and off the ice.”
 
"Vinik, 50, is the founder and chairman of Vinik Asset Management and a minority owner of the Boston Red Sox. Prior to forming Vinik Asset Management, he managed Fidelity’s Magellan Fund, at that time the world’s largest equities mutual fund. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Duke University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering and Economics, Vinik went on to earn his Masters of Business Administration degree from the Harvard Business School.
 
"The lifelong hockey fan was born in New Jersey and currently resides in Boston with his wife Penny and their four children, Danny (19), Jared (17), Kyra (16) and Joshua (9).
 
"The Lightning was founded in 1990 by Hockey Hall of Famer Phil Esposito and began play in the NHL in 1992. It won the Stanley Cup in 2004. Previous owners of the Lightning include Kokusai Green, Ltd (1992-1998), Art Williams (1998-99), Palace Sports & Entertainment (1999-2008) and Lightning Enterprises LP (2008-2010).
 
"The team currently has 20 games remaining in the 2009-10 regular season and it sits in 11th position in Eastern Conference, just two points removed from a playoff position.''

-- DAMIAN CRISTODERO, Times Staff Writer

Jeff Halpern said he has never played for a team with a tighter locker room than this year's Tampa Bay Lightning. That, the center said, will be what he misses most about leaving Tampa Bay. Halpern was traded Wednesday to the Kings for left wing Teddy Purcell and a third-round draft pick.

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"Just an unbelievable group of guys,"  Halpern said of his Lightning teammates. "I made some tremendous friends. That's the most difficult thing, to be leaving such a great group of guys. I wish them the best."

Halpern, 33, was acquired from the Stars in February 2008 with goaltender Mike Smith and forward Jussi Jokinen in the Brad Richards deal. He admitted he was disappointed at the time to go from a playoff team to one that missed the playoffs, and being out of the playoffs again last season was frustrating. But there were some compensations.

"Again, I would say the biggest thing that I take from my time here was the teammates and group of guys," Halpern said. "I played on a lot of teams and this is the tightest group and the best (locker) room I have ever been part of."

As for coach Rick Tocchet, Halpern said, "He's been a pleasure to play for."

He wishes the organization "nothing but the best," but now his focus is with the Kings.

"It's an exciting time," he said. "They're in a great position now to get into the playoffs and do some damage. I'll go out there and try to help out as much as I can and be a part of a playoff push." 

Purcell, 24, is a 6-foot-2, 198-pound left wing, who has three goals and six points and four penalty minutes in 41 games for Los Angeles, though he has been a scratch in 18 of the Kings' past 22 games. His claim to fame seems to be that he made the AHL All-Star team the past two seasons, and this season had five assists in the All-Star game.

Halpern is in the final year of a contract that is paying $2 million. He has nine goals and 17 points in 55 games and is minus-14. Purcell is making $600,000 this season, and will be a restricted free agent.