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Bucs' Morris Makes His Pitch

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By ERIK ERLENDSSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 14, 2009

Updated: 02/14/2009 11:55 pm

TAMPA - Armed with a puck in his back pocket and a microphone in his hand, Bucs coach Raheem Morris felt like he should have been hugging Ronde Barber.

Morris had just finished listening to the national anthem and belting out the traditional "Let's Play Hockey" to the crowd before the opening puck drop and felt it was time for action.

"Any time the national anthem is being played, after that it doesn't matter what the sporting event is, you feel like you are about to play, so it's always good," Morris said. "You always get real riled up for it, so they kind of got me there for a minute. I wish I could go out and play a game."

Growing up in New Jersey, Morris said he was a fan of the New York Rangers but admits he doesn't have a lot of knowledge of the sport. However, he does have a pair of significant memories of the Lightning from 2004.

"I was lucky enough to see these guys win the Stanley Cup," Morris said. "At Game 5, me and Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin banging on the glass was pretty exciting. Then we sat in the box for Game 7, so that's about the extent of my hockey knowledge. We won, that's all I know and I was excited about it."

The 32-year-old, who became the youngest head coach in franchise history in January, said that after being invited by the Lightning to take part in pregame festivities, he hopes the Rays are next on the list.

"Hopefully I'll get to throw out a pitch this year because I'm going to smoke that thing down home plate. I'm throwing a strike," Morris said. "In fact, I'm going to start practicing in the backyard to get ready for that. Hopefully they invite me."

FIRE SALE? Could the Lightning have sent out word that the market is open and everybody on the roster is available?

With the March 4 trade deadline less than three weeks away, scouts have begun to flock to the Forum.

On Saturday, scouts from Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Nashville, Montreal, Columbus and the Rangers were in attendance, as well as the normal presence from New Jersey (Pat Burns) and Chicago (Scotty Bowman). The Rangers, Montreal and Columbus were also at Thursday's game against Toronto.

The Lightning have been linked to recent rumors involving Pittsburgh (Marty St. Louis) and Columbus (Vinny Prospal).

WELL TRAVELED: Washington G Michal Neuvirth has worn many jerseys in the past 15 months. The Capitals' second-round pick in 2006 made his NHL debut on Saturday, the eighth different jersey the Czech Republic native has worn.

Neuvirth, 20, played for three different junior teams last season - Plymouth, Windsor and Oshawa. This season he has played for South Carolina in the East Coast Hockey League, Hershey in the American Hockey League, Trinec Ocelari HC of the Czech league and represented the Czech Republic at the World Junior Championships in 2008.

NUTS AND BOLTS: Lightning D Marek Malik, who previously missed nine games with an ankle injury, left in the first period and did not return with what the team classified as a lower-body injury. ... LW Ryan Craig and RW Adam Hall were scratched. ... LW Ryan Malone recorded his 200th career point.

Erik Erlendsson

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