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Lightning Get Rough Practice

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By ERIK ERLENDSSON

eerlendsson@tampatrib.com

Published: October 27, 2008

TAMPA - After being outworked and outplayed for most of the night Saturday, the Lightning didn't exactly go out for a Sunday skate during practice.

Lightning coach Barry Melrose made the message abundantly clear that the effort Tampa Bay put forth against San Jose won't be tolerated. So when the players stepped onto the ice, the rigorous 45-minute session Melrose had waiting for them had very little to do with practicing.

"The message is, if you're not going to work at night, you're going to work during the day," Melrose said. "There has to be repercussions for lack of effort. That's the one thing that can't be accepted."

So for their morning wake-up call, players first went through a series of one-on-one battle drills - the only time they touched pucks - for roughly 20 minutes. That was followed by skating ... and more skating ... and even more skating, until the coaching staff all left the ice at 11:43 a.m.

The burn in the legs was evident with some players. Others had to come to the bench between skating sessions just to catch their breath. The "bag skate" practice was not a surprise.

"We're not going to win any hockey games playing like Saturday, we all know that. We have to compete, we have to do it for each other and be a good teammate and do whatever you can to help the team," left wing Ryan Malone said. "And you have to know that the guy next to you is battling just as hard as you are to work your way out."

With seven of the next eight games on the road, Lightning GM Brian Lawton said the team needs to answer Saturday's effort with the right kind of response and called Tuesday's game in Toronto "critical" in terms of bouncing back.

"We are looking to see what kind of character we have," Lawton said. "The beauty about the National Hockey League now, you have a chance to redeem yourself, and we'll be looking for a lot of our guys to step up on the road, play a little bit harder and show what kind of character they do or don't have."

The only players not subject to Sunday's punishing practice were goalies Mike Smith and Olie Kolzig - Melrose said they are exempt because of the way they have played - while injured forwards Radim Vrbata and Ryan Craig were held out. Veteran forward Mark Recchi was also excused for family reasons.

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