| Okay Barry Melrose. Take off that rubber, Rick | | | | make a difference, they're clock killers, that's all it is," |
| Tocchet mask and reveal yourself. It must be you | | | | shouted the mad St. Louis as he slammed his shin |
| behind the Tampa Bay Lightning bench, giving the "not | | | | pads to the floor. "I'm (expletive) fed up!" |
| ready for prime time" Steven Stamkos only 9:15 | | | | Coach Rick Tocchet continued to pair defensemen |
| minutes of ice time, Thursday night against the | | | | Marik Malik and Andrej Meszaros together; despite |
| Colorado Avalanche. Only three shifts in the third | | | | them giving up three of Atlanta's four goals. Defensive |
| period? "He has to be ready from the start," said | | | | blunders haunted the Lightning all night. The two |
| Melrose...err...Tocchet of Stamkos. | | | | combined were a -6 on the night and gave up the |
| Saturday night in Atlanta, against the Thrashers, the | | | | puck, over and over again and again. Tocchet didn't |
| Bolts made it official. They are the worst team in the | | | | know what to say, following the loss. "I feel sorry for |
| NHL. The Thrashers won, only their fourth game in the | | | | our fans," he stated. Tocchet went on, "It seems any |
| last 19 tries. After the game, the diminutive center, | | | | time there is a little adversity or it's 1-1, guys freeze up, |
| Marty St. Louis' frustration level boiled over. "It's plain | | | | their legs don't go. |
| and simple. There's not enough guys that want to | | | | |