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Tocchet's Bolts Debut A Shootout Loss To Carolina

The Associated Press

Carolina's Joni Pitkanen tips the puck away from Martin St. Louis in Sunday's 3-2 shootout loss.

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By ERIK ERLENDSSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 17, 2008

Updated: 11/17/2008 12:17 am

RALEIGH, N.C. - Like the previous five coaches before him in Lightning history, Rick Tocchet failed to produce a victory in his debut.

After Tampa Bay fell 3-2 in a shootout to Carolina on Sunday afternoon, Terry Crisp remains the only head coach in Lightning history to produce a victory - which came in the franchise's inaugural game - in his debut behind Tampa Bay's bench.

Rick Paterson, Jacques Demers, Steve Ludzik, John Tortorella and Barry Melrose all lost in their debuts.

Two days after Melrose was fired 16 games into his tenure, Tocchet took the reins of the team in hopes of instilling a different direction from where team management felt the team was heading.

Though Sunday was only one game under Tocchet, the results looked to be the same, with the Lightning failing to produce more than three goals for the 16th time in 17 games and the power play fizzling out at inopportune times, in particular a man advantage of 1:45 to start overtime in which the Lightning failed to get a shot on net.

"You get a four-on-three, you need to score a goal," said right wing Marty St. Louis, who continued to man one of the point positions on the power play. "I take full responsibility. I'm the guy that's out there, and I've got to get the job done, and I didn't."

But there was enough going on to show somewhat of a different approach as to why the result came about.

"It's baby steps, you know. We're still trying to figure out some things," Tocchet said. "It's a step in the right direction. I thought the guys played well, I think they're really starting to get what we're trying to do here."

The game started off well for Tampa Bay when St. Louis opened the scoring despite Carolina having the majority of chances in the first period. Just as Tampa Bay killed off its second consecutive penalty, Radim Vrbata came out of the penalty box and led a 3-on-1 before he feathered a perfect saucer pass to St. Louis.

Vinny Lecavalier put Tampa Bay up 2-0 with a power-play goal early in the second when he took a pass from Mark Recchi and beat Cam Ward with a one-timer for his first goal since Nov. 1.

The Hurricanes, however, scored twice in an 88-second span in the second to pull even.

Tampa Bay came out to play in the third, clamping down defensively while holding the Hurricanes to one shot on goal in the final 20 minutes - an encouraging sign, according to Tocchet.

"That's what we are trying to preach here, going into the third period being able to use your legs, and having chances 5-0 in the third we'll take that every day of the week," Tocchet said.

Lecavalier and Jussi Jokinen each failed to convert on their shootout chances, while Tuomo Ruutu and Rod Brind'Amour each beat Mike Smith to give Carolina the victory and deny Tocchet a debut victory.

"This is our first crack at it," St. Louis said. "I thought he did a good job. I wish we had a better outcome, but I thought we stuck together. We battled hard."

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

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