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Fans will get to see stars

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By ERIK ERLENDSSON eerlendsson@tampatrib.com

The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 18, 2009

Updated: 09/18/2009 12:13 am

TAMPA - The Lightning will display their top stars for the home crowd in the team's only home preseason game tonight.

Tampa Bay will suit up Vinny Lecavalier, Marty St. Louis, Steven Stamkos and Ryan Malone, along with top free-agent acquisitions Alex Tanguay and Mattias Ohlund against Atlanta. Also playing will be the team's two first-round picks from this year's draft, Victor Hedman and Carter Ashton.

Ashton, the 29th overall pick, is expected to make his debut playing on the presumed top line with Lecavalier and Tanguay.

"It's pretty amazing to even practice with those guys the past couple of days," Ashton said. "It's been a great experience, and if I get the chance (to play with them) it would be something to remember."

Hedman, meanwhile, is coming off Wednesday's game in Dallas, in which he logged a game-high 27 minutes, 15 seconds in the shootout loss, ice time that perhaps went beyond initial plans, but the 18-year-old earned it.

"Victor is an excellent player," Lightning coach Rick Tocchet said. "He makes mistakes, like everybody, and we'll work with him. But I think the poise at his age can't be taught. That's in him."

More cuts

The team reduced its roster by four on Thursday, leaving 43 players in camp.

Those who were reassigned to the minor-league affiliate in Norfolk were D Kevin Quick and Scott Jackson, and F Mitch Fadden and Chris Lawrence.

Tocchet said Quick, who appeared in six games with the Lightning last year but did not see any preseason action, was caught in a numbers game.

"We have a logjam at defense, and it's just the pecking order," Tocchet said. "We have to get to the meat of our team and he's (not) one of those guys. He needs to get better. He know that."

Job for Janus?

Coming into training camp, G Jaroslav Janus was looking to land a pro contract. Judging from his performance in camp, including a 10-save effort in the third period Wednesday in Dallas, the soon-to-be 20-year-old is giving the team something to think about despite already having four goaltenders under contract for this season and having no East Coast Hockey League affiliate.

"I thought for a young kid, he had some pretty good composure," goaltenders coach Cap Raeder said. "I thought he did very, very well. I liked what I saw."

Erik Erlendsson

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