Bolts Buzz: Monday Evening Thoughts

 - If you didn’t get a chance to check out the interview with Barry Melrose on CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada, I suggest you do. Host Ron McLean asked Barry Melrose some candid questions that I didn’t expect to surface this early. But as Barry said, he has no gag order and is open to share his perspective on his firing. What are your thoughts on the interview? 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRIWRKsSR3k

- As I mentioned in my game report this morning, Rick Tocchet has a lot of potential to work with on this team and will surely need to experiment with different line combos. He has inserted rookie Steven Stamkos onto the top line alongside Vinny Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis. Stamkos is very excited for the opportunity. Left winger Vinny Prospal was bumbed off the first line and will instead center Matt Pettinger and Radim Vrbata on the second line. Here is the rest of the lineup that is expected to dress for tomorrow night’s game as the Lightning battle the Florida Panthers:

———-

Stamkos/Lecavalier/St. Louis

Pettinger/Prospal/Vrbata

Roberts/Jokinen/Recchi

Craig/Gratton/Artyukhin

———-

Ranger/Meszaros

Lundin/Eminger

Malik/Krajicek

———-

- Ryan Malone remains scratched due to a lower body injury (leg), and Adam Hall is out day-to-day with a foot injury after making a blocked shot in last night’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes (November 16)

- Obviously this team is underachieving in basically all areas of play. The most prominent stat that stands out for me is their inability to put the puck in the net. The Lightning currently hold the lowest goals for total in the league with 36.

After Melrose was relieved of his duties, here is what backup goaltender Olie Kolzig had to say:

“I guess it’s easier to fire a coach than trade 20 guys. Obviously, we’re underachieving.”

- The Florida Panthers are 29th in the league in terms of goals for (one place ahead of Tampa), so it’s probably the right time to turn the jets on and show Tocchet what they’ve got. Exciting things have been happening to the Lightning for months off the ice, although nothing special has happened on it.

Let’s hope for a good match tomorrow…

Greg – gregsmith@sportstalkbuzz.com