TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Tortorella Still Steamed About Call

ADVERTISEMENT

The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 8, 2007

TAMPA - Lightning coach John Tortorella has never been one to step off a soapbox when it came to the direction of the physical play in the NHL.

Wednesday morning he continued to pound the pulpit when speaking of a major boarding call against Nick Tarnasky in Monday's loss at Sunrise where it appeared Tarnasky hit Florida D Mike Van Ryn from the side. But referee Marc Joanette gave Tarnasky a five-minute penalty on the play.

"That one ticks me off, and they can whine about it all they want over there in the Florida locker room about it, but that isn't even a minor," Tortorella said. "I think what happens with the players now is, and I don't blame them, I don't think players realize they are going to get hit because it's really a league directive not to hit anymore. And they are not protecting themselves anymore and that's a big part of being a player in the NHL."

Tarnasky admitted that after being hit with a major penalty on the play, it might cross his mind the next time a similar situation comes up during a game.

"I would probably be thinking if I make that hit, am I going to get called for another major penalty and hurt my team," Tarnasky said. "I usually like to play a pretty clean game and I just try to finish my checks."

BOYLE'S SURGERY: Dan Boyle will undergo surgery Friday at Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore to repair the damaged tendons in his left wrist. The procedure will be performed by Thomas Graham, chief of staff at Curtis National Hand Center and vice-chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Union Hospital.

"Dr. Graham is a consultant to a number of professional sports teams and has operated on more than 1,500 athletes, including a number of hockey players, during his career," Lightning general manager Jay Feaster said in a statement.

The team will issue an update Friday following the surgery, but Feaster said in the statement that there will be no timetable given on Boyle's return and the defenseman will be listed as out indefinitely until he is medically cleared to play.

Boyle missed the first nine games of the season after undergoing surgery to repair three severed tendons in his left wrist after a skate fell on his arm in a freak locker room accident Sept. 22. He was out five weeks before returning Oct. 29 and played four weeks. But an MRI on Monday revealed only one of the three tendons healed properly with one completely detached and the other hanging by the stitching, the reason for the second surgery.

RAMO'S REPORT: Lightning prospect G Karri Ramo flew to Tampa on Wednesday to have an MRI performed on his left ankle, which he sprained in Norfolk's opening game of the season. The report came back negative, confirming Ramo suffered a high ankle sprain. He is about 2-3 weeks from returning to play.

NUTS AND BOLTS: C Craig MacDonald and D Matt Smaby were healthy scratches. ... The announced crowd of 16,526 was the lowest announced attendance for a Lightning home game since Feb. 12, 2004, against Montreal. ... C Ryan Craig had two points, including the game-winning goal, in his first conditioning game with Norfolk in the Admirals' 5-3 come-from-behind win against Hershey. ... The Lightning won 32 of 52 faceoffs (62 percent). ... D Filip Kuba had his first point in six games with an assist on Vinny Lecavalier's empty-net goal.

Erik Erlendsson

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT