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Despite Ties, Tocchet Just Wants A Victory

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By ERIK ERLENDSSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 7, 2009

PHOENIX - Rick Tocchet has a simple request of the Lightning in his first visit to Phoenix as a head coach.

"You want the team to show up," Tocchet said. "I want to see our team play aggressive and play well."

As the interim coach of the Lightning, Tocchet will face the Coyotes for the first time as the man in charge, although it is hardly his first experience with them. Tocchet scored 64 goals and had 130 points in three seasons with the Coyotes beginning in 1997-98, when he was brought in to add toughness and veteran leadership.

He served two stints as Coach Wayne Gretzky's top lieutenant before succeeding Barry Melrose in Tampa this season. Tocchet even had his first taste of interim head coaching here, when he guided the Coyotes for more than a week while Gretzky left the team to tend to his gravely ill mother.

"There's no added incentive for me," Tocchet said of his return. "To me, we need the points, whether it is Phoenix or the New York Rangers. I don't get any more satisfaction in beating the Coyotes and in beating Wayne Gretzky.

"If my dad is coaching, I still need the two points."

Tocchet's time in Phoenix was interrupted by a two-year leave of absence from the NHL for his involvement in a sports betting ring that included Gretzky's wife, Janet Jones.

Tocchet hoped to get together with Gretzky after the Coyotes' game against Chicago on Tuesday night.

"He's done a hell of a job with that team," Tocchet said. "They are really competing."

A LIGHTER DAY

After a day off Monday, Tocchet put the Lightning through a 90-minute, mid-day practice Tuesday, although C Jeff Halpern and D Andrej Meszaros were given a light day, doing only conditioning.

Meszaros took 64 stitches to his face after he was hit by a deflected puck in a 3-2 loss to Carolina on Saturday. He pulled a regular shift in a 4-1 victory at Atlanta on Sunday.

Both are expected to play Thursday.

INJURY UPDATE

D Paul Ranger practiced Tuesday and could return for the Coyotes game Thursday after missing time with an upper-body injury. "He's close. I can see him playing Thursday," Tocchet said.

G Olie Kolzig also worked the majority of the practice session and could be close to returning. "At least they are all day-to-day. Before, it was week-to-week," Tocchet said.

PROSPECTS SHINE

Lightning G Dustin Tokarski, a fifth-round pick in 2008, was named the player of the game for Canada on Monday in the gold medal contest of the World Junior Championships in Ottawa, leading his team to a 5-1 victory against Sweden.

Tokarski, who was signed to an entry-level deal last week, carried a shutout into the third period before finishing with 39 saves in leading Canada to a fifth consecutive gold medal at the U-20 world championships. He finished with a 4-0 record.

Meanwhile, RW Steve Downie was named to the AHL All-Star Game on Tuesday and will represent players from Canada. Downie, acquired from Philadelphia in November, has six goals and 20 points in 15 games with Norfolk.

Jack Magruder, Erik Erlendsson

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