Tocchet returns Lecavalier to top line for slumping Bolts

First, you have to get their attention.

One day after benching his top forwards for the final segments of a 3-0 loss to Washington, Lightning coach Rick Tocchet reshuffled his top lines.

Captain Vinny Lecavalier skated between Marty St. Louis and Ryan Malone during Tuesday's practice as the struggling Lightning prepared for tonight's matchup against Edmonton, which precedes a six-game road trip.

Tampa Bay has won once in the past six games, scoring 10 goals in that span.

"We're eighth ... we're right on that (playoff) line," Tocchet said. "You lose a couple and we're in 13th place. The urgency is not now - it's yesterday."

Lecavalier, St. Louis, Malone, Steven Stamkos, Jeff Halpern and Alex Tanguay all rode the bench during the final seven minutes of Monday night's setback and Stamkos, who leads the club with 17 goals, failed to muster a shot for the first time this season.

On Tuesday, Tocchet dropped Stamkos off the middle of the No.1 line and moved up Lecavalier, who has scored only six times in 29 games and is still looking for his first power-play goal.

Stamkos centered for Steve Downie and Paul Szczechura on Tuesday while Tanguay, a veteran free-agent acquisition averaging less than one shot per game, was relegated to the third line.

"It's on the leaders," Tocchet said of Monday's late benching. "They have to understand we have to play a certain way. We're playing the Washington Capitals and you can't be out there for 45 seconds and throw the puck blind out front. We're trying plays that aren't there. It's a 0-0 hockey game and there's no reason to do stupid things. How should they take it? Honestly, I don't care because we have enough guys on the team that are playing the right way."

The Oilers have won the first three games of a five-game road trip, and St. Louis said the Lightning are determined to gain some momentum before leaving town for almost two weeks.

"This is a big game for us before getting out on the road," said St. Louis, tied with Stamkos for the team lead with 30 points. "We want to feel good about ourselves. We haven't been opportunistic. We've had chances, but I think we can generate more."

Stamkos has scored seven of Tampa Bay's 24 power-play goals, but he is going through a prolonged slump, with one point and a minus-5 mark in the past five games.

"Your top two lines are supposed to create offense and obviously not getting any goals on the board means you're not doing your job," he said. "You have to respect the fact the head coach makes a decision and sticks with it. He's sending a message. There's no yelling, no screaming, no words. If you're not going to compete hard, there's going to be consequences."