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GM Lawton Puts Bolts On Notice

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 7, 2008

NEW YORK - Lightning general manager Brian Lawton put his team on notice a day after Wednesday's shootout loss to New Jersey.

Despite fighting back from a pair of third-period deficits to force overtime and earn a point, Lawton said the result didn't sit well with him.

"The biggest thing I want the players to know is that it's really not acceptable to come out with a point against that team," he said. "That was a team that was down, and we have to recognize that and develop more of a killer instinct. To their credit, they did what they had to do, but it shouldn't sneak up on you."

Lawton said the team is getting by simply on its skill right now, but it needs to put forth more effort to gain long-term success, something he hopes develops through the rest of the current five-game road trip.

"You can mask it for a while, but it generally comes out," Lawton said of the team's lack of effort. "Generally, when you have six games in nine nights it comes out. Generally, when you're on a five-game road trip, it comes out. Those are the types of situations that make it more difficult to mask those things."

Unmasked Man

G Mike Smith is sporting a new mask in honor of Remembrance Day/Veterans Day that features the American flag on one side with a pair of soldier boots while the other side has the Canadian flag with a poppy flower, the symbol for those who died in war. The front of the mask features the logos of each of the 30 NHL teams.

Smith said his plan is to wear a new mask each month and donate them to charity, although he is not sure if he wants to donate his current mask. He might opt instead to add it to his collection.

"I think it's a great idea for goalies around the league," he said.

"The artists are willing to do it, and goaltenders have fun with different masks."

Smith's Saw Mask

The "Saw V" mask Smith wore last month was auctioned to benefit The Lightning Foundation, with the winning bid coming from 49-year-old Colin Devine, a Wall Street research analyst with Smith Barney. Devine attended Thursday's game to receive the mask - signed by Smith - from Lightning co-owners Oren Koules and Mark Burg.

"It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, these kind of things so rarely come up," said Devine, who said he paid about $4,300 for the mask and submitted his winning bid about 90 minutes before the online auction closed. "I put my last bid in so high that if somebody was going to go over me, it was going to cost them."

Nuts And Bolts

RW Radim Vrbata was activated off injured reserve Thursday, and was in the lineup in place of LW Ryan Craig. ... D Janne Niskala was officially assigned to Norfolk on Thursday, but he is technically under suspension after he returned to Finland to attempt to find a European team to play for.

Erik Erlendsson

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