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Lightning Notes: Injuries Continue To Mount

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By ERIK ERLENDSSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 27, 2008

ST. PAUL, Minn. - The rash of injuries in the Lightning locker room continues to break out. The latest to join the list is LW David Koci, who will be out two to four weeks after breaking his hand during a second-period fight with the Rangers' Colton Orr during Wednesday's game.

In addition to Koci, D Marek Malik also missed practice on Thanksgiving with what the team is calling a lower-body injury. During the third period against New York, Malik appeared to fall awkwardly behind the Tampa Bay net and took only one shift the rest of the game.

Interim coach Rick Tocchet said Malik was questionable for this afternoon's game against Minnesota.

Meanwhile, LW Matt Pettinger, who injured his knee during practice on Tuesday, will miss two to four weeks with what the team is calling a lower-body injury, but given the expected time out it is likely a ligament sprain.

With LW Gary Roberts (upper body) and C Chris Gratton (knee) still nursing injuries — Roberts practiced, Gratton did not — Tampa Bay placed Pettinger and Koci on injured reserve and called up D Matt Smaby and LW Steve Downie from AHL Norfolk on Thursday. Both players flew with the team to Minnesota and will be available for today's game.

D Lukas Krajicek also did not practice on Thursday, but he is expected to play today. Krajicek missed one game with a bruised knee before returning on Wednesday.

The Lightning also placed minor-league D Andrew Hutchinson on waivers and F Jason Ward on recall waivers.

STAMMER THE HAMMER: Rookie C Steven Stamkos was still the talk of the locker room Thursday after getting into his first career fight, squaring off with New York's Nikolai Zherdev late in the first period.

"I thought I got him with a pretty good hit [along the boards], and I guess he didn't like it," Stamkos said of Zherdev. "He skated across the rink, shoved me, I shoved him back and before we knew it the gloves were off. It was just a heat of the battle thing."

As he made his way back to the locker room, Stamkos took some good-natured ribbing from his teammates on the Lightning bench.

While in juniors, Stamkos got into a fight with Niagara's Luca Caputi while playing with Sarnia. He also wound up getting into a scrap during last year's Top Prospects with Yann Sauve, which helped him earn team MVP honors.

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