Lightning sale still being worked out

The proposed sale of the Lightning to Boston-based financier Jeffrey Vinik continues to move forward, although details for a purchase agreement remain to be worked out.

Meetings between all involved parties, including representatives for current co-owners Oren Koules and Len Barrie, Vinik and former owner Palace Sports and Entertainment, were held at the league's offices starting Monday.

Negotiations continued Tuesday, and although nothing appears imminent, a deal to sell the team, the lease on the St. Pete Times Forum and 5 1/2 acres of surrounding land could be announced this week. There also remains a slim chance the deal could fall apart, although the process is far enough along that it would take a significant setback to derail it.

Should a purchase agreement be reached, the sale would be contingent upon approval from the NHL Board of Governors. That process likely would take at least two weeks.

Vinik, a minority owner of the Boston Red Sox since 2002 and a hedge fund manager, surfaced last week as the front-runner to purchase the team from OK Hockey, the group that bought the team from Palace Sports and Entertainment in June 2008. But since the change of ownership, the Lightning have had numerous issues, most notably a rift between Koules and Barrie that led to a difference of opinion about the franchise.

In recent weeks, the potential sale of the team accelerated when Karen Davidson, the widow of former Lightning owner Bill Davidson, announced plans to explore selling the Detroit Pistons basketball team as well as Palace Sports, which loaned a reported $100 million to OK Hockey to ensure the sale went through after financing fell through. Davidson would want the debt involved with the Lightning eliminated before moving forward with plans to sell the Pistons.

Although no purchase price has been confirmed, a report in The Hockey News said the sale price was as much as $170 million, although the magazine retracted that amount Monday and said it could be for $140 million.

OK Hockey purchased the team in 2008 for a reported $204 million.

Hedman in stitches

Rookie D Victor Hedman missed a good portion of the first period Sunday in Washington after being cut on his left leg. The cut required eight to 10 stitches, but he returned to finish the game.

Although he sat out of practice Monday, Hedman was in the lineup Tuesday during the 2-1 victory over Atlanta. The fact he returned to Sunday's game was not lost on Lightning coach Rick Tocchet.

"He had a little issue there and he came back," Tocchet said of the gash. "At this time of the year, nobody is completely healthy. So some guys might not come back; he did.

"It shows you a lot about him. It's good to see a kid play with bumps and bruises."

Nuts and bolts

C Steven Stamkos increased his scoring streak to seven games Tuesday with a first-period assist. Stamkos has four goals and six assists during the streak. ... RW Marty St. Louis has goals in four consecutive games, one short of a career best. ... LW Brandon Bochenski was scratched. ... C Nate Thompson played between LW Ryan Malone and RW Jeff Halpern, while captain Vinny Lecavalier centered LW Alex Tanguay and RW Stephane Veilleux, who scored the opening goal of the game. Two of Veilleux's three goals this season have come in Atlanta.