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Melrose Pulls Shakeup

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 14, 2008

TAMPA - With Tampa Bay still looking for any kind of an offensive consistency, Lightning coach Barry Melrose made major changes in the line combinations for Thursday's game.

Entering the game, Tampa Bay was averaging two goals a game and had a league-low 30 goals scored. So not only did Melrose insert LW Matt Pettinger into the lineup, he put him on a line centered by Vinny Prospal, with Marty St. Louis playing right wing.

Captain Vinny Lecavalier centered a line with LW Mark Recchi and RW Radim Vrbata; Jussi Jokinen played between LW Gary Roberts and rookie Steven Stamkos - who played center in each of the first 15 games this season - on right wing while Evgeny Artyukhin dropped down to play wing with C Chris Gratton and RW Adam Hall.

Before the game, Melrose hinted at some changes when discussing putting Pettinger into the lineup for the first time since Oct. 30.

"He's got good speed and he's a talented guy, so hopefully he can come in and jump-start some guys offensively," Melrose said.

While Melrose didn't tip his hand as to the shuffling of the line combinations, the end result was Tampa Bay's first three-goal performance - including one by Pettinger - since a shootout loss to New Jersey on Nov. 5.

"We are just trying stuff, we've got to get some offense," Melrose said of the line shuffling. "We've got to get guys going, we've got to get more than just one line going, so from that point of view, I was pretty happy with the lines."

OLIE GOES: When asked about the decision to switch goaltenders heading into Thursday's game against Detroit, Melrose said he had a specific thought about going back to G Olie Kolzig, who took the loss Monday in his return to Washington.

"I didn't want him sitting on that Washington game too long and stewing on that," Melrose said. "And he deserves to play, he's been playing great and working hard."

OLIE GOES OFF: At one point during play in the third period, Kolzig slammed his stick to the ice, started barking at referee Don Koharski and then slammed his stick to the ice again.

Kolzig said he had had enough of Red Wings RW Tomas Holmstrom setting up shop at the top of the crease.

"He's just got this subtle little way of backing into the goaltender right as the shot is coming," Kolzig said. "I just told Koho that enough was enough, and he tried to explain to me that if they would have scored it wouldn't have counted and I hear that explanation all the time. It's about time they call a penalty on it."

NUTS AND BOLTS: LW Ryan Craig was a healthy scratch. ... Tampa Bay's three shots on goal in the second period were not the season low for shots in a period. The Lightning had two shots on goal in the third period of an overtime loss to Carolina on Oct. 11. ... Detroit G Chris Osgood improved to 17-0 lifetime against Tampa Bay.

Erik Erlendsson

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