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Time For A Break As Bolts Prepare For Push

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By ERIK ERLENDSSON, The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 26, 2008

TAMPA - For the next three days, 29 rinks around the National Hockey League will go dark. Sheets of ice will remain cold and clean. Skate sharpeners will go silent.

And all but 60 players around the league no doubt will take a rare weekend to spend time with families, friends and girlfriends relaxing at the beach or by a pool at some vacation spot. Others will take advantage of the time off to rest bumps and bruises before resuming play next week.

The league spotlight will shine on Atlanta's Philips Arena the next two days for All-Star Weekend, with the festivities kicking off tonight at the SuperSkills competition featuring Tampa Bay representatives Vinny Lecavalier and Marty St. Louis. Lightning rookie defenseman Mike Lundin will take part in the YoungStars game.

For the 30 teams around the league, however, the break between games gives team decision-makers the opportunity to decide how they want to approach the unofficial second half of the season.

And considering where Tampa Bay sits in the standings - 29th in the league and last in the Eastern Conference - the likelihood of a second-half surge into a playoff position is about as likely as the discovery of life on Mars.

It's possible, but ...

"We know that we are going to have to win a majority of our final 32 games down the stretch if we want to get to where we want to be," said defenseman Dan Boyle, who returned to the lineup Thursday after missing 36 consecutive games following a second surgery on his left wrist.

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