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Lightning Get Back To Work After Firing

News Channel 8 photo by BOB HANSEN

Interim coach Rick Tocchet hopes a faster tempo of play will jumpstart an anemic offense.

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By ERIK ERLENDSSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 16, 2008

RALEIGH, N.C. - With the dust still settling from the fallout following Friday's coaching change, the Lightning returned to work on Saturday.

But things surrounding the team right now are anything but business as usual.

Tampa Bay enters this afternoon's game at RBC Center having just fired Barry Melrose as head coach following a 5-7-4 start and is riding a season-high three-game losing streak. With Rick Tocchet now in charge on an interim basis, any potential excuses the players might have had are now removed.

Melrose was interviewed on CBC's Hockey Night in Canada on Saturday and said he felt the players wielded some of their power and went to ownership to discuss some displeasure with how things were being run.

For whatever reason, Tampa Bay has not played up to its potential this season. The effort level has been inconsistent and the team was not responding at all to Melrose. Whether that means the locker room bailed on their head coach or not is unclear, but the players know they have to shoulder some of the blame for not only the slow start, but in the removal of Melrose.

"Our play definitely was not good enough," right wing Marty St. Louis said. "When the results are the way they have been, it's due for a change. It's unfortunate, but, that's the business and sometimes it's much easier to change one guy than to change a bunch of guys."

St. Louis couldn't find any particular reason as to why the Lightning weren't responding to Melrose, who was in his first head coaching position since 1995.

"We just weren't able to play the way we should be playing and I can't pinpoint why, but I know that all of us have to look at ourselves in the mirror and be accountable for our actions we bring on the ice," St. Louis said. "Now we are going to move forward and try to turn this around."

Lightning goaltender Olie Kolzig knows from firsthand experience that it's not too late after what happened with Washington last season when Glen Hanlon was fired by the Capitals after a 6-14-1 start. Bruce Boudreau took over and turned things around as Washington went on to win the Southeast Division title.

"Everybody has to look at themselves and feel somewhat responsible for what has happened and if that's the case everybody has to play with a little bit of guilt," Kolzig said. "You saw what happened in Washington last year when we did that. Bruce came in with his aggressive system and it really benefitted the players that we had and we took off. And I think we are in a lot better shape where we are right now that last year in Washington and I see a lot of similarities here as far as talent goes.

"So I think with a little more structure and accountability, I see us really responding well."

The first step in that process took place on Saturday with the first practice under Tocchet. Line combinations were shuffled - the top line with Vinny Lecavalier, Vinny Prospal and St. Louis was reunited one game after being broken up by Melrose - as Tocchet started to implement an up-tempo style in practice he hopes to carry over into the game.

"The tempo is going to be driven harder," Tocchet said. "We have to increase the energy level in some players. We've got to start getting these guys cranking on the ice, playing a high-tempo game."

Reporter Erik Erlendsson can be reached at (813) 259-7835.

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