Tocchet Wants Bolts To Stay Focused

Tampa Bay interim coach Rick Tocchet wants to make sure the Lightning keep their heads in the game, something he saw work well in the last game in Pittsburgh.

"I've told the guys, when you're on the bench don't drift your mind," Tocchet said. "Know where you are going to go after a faceoff, know what we're doing in the neutral zone and keep focus that way. I have never seen this team focused the way they were in Pittsburgh and I think that, and I think a lot had to do with the leadership in the room getting the guys ready, and that's something I think we really need."

Tocchet has been hammering home the mental part of the game for the past few weeks in an attempt to get everybody in the locker room on the same page. It's something Tocchet praised the team for following Tuesday's victory in Pittsburgh, but he made sure to warn them about heading into the home-and-home series with Florida.

"We've won one game," Tocchet said. "We did the same thing in Montreal with a win Dec. 11, and not to be negative, but we came out and laid a dud in Ottawa. They've been warned, and this is going to be a good test and they better be ready to play.

"We're going to see the direction of this club after Friday and tonight."

OLIE A NO-GO

G Olie Kolzig traveled with the team to South Florida on Friday morning but he did not dress for the game. Kolzig, who has missed two of the past three games with an undisclosed upper-body injury, worked out with strength coach Chuck Lobe during the morning skate and remains listed out on a day-to-day basis.

Karri Ramo suited up as Mike Smith's backup Friday. Smith is expected to get the start again tonight at home against the Panthers.

TARNO TALK

Former Lightning LW Nick Tarnasky faced off against his former team for the first time Friday since he was traded before the start of the season.

While Tarnasky was surprised to look over at Tampa Bay's roster and see how few familiar faces remain on the roster, he wasn't caught off guard when he was dealt to Nashville on Sept. 29 for a conditional draft pick.

"What did we have, 19 forwards in Lightning training camp? So I kind of saw the writing on the wall and wondered where I was going to fit in," said Tarnasky, who suffered a broken finger on the first day of training camp that set him behind.

"Then when I got hurt, it didn't really give me a chance to show what I can do."

Tarnasky was dealt to Florida in exchange for Wade Belak on Nov. 27 and has one assist in 10 games with the Panthers.

SWITCH-A-ROO

For tonight's game in Tampa, the TV color analysts for each team will switch booths for the second period, meaning Rick Peckham will work with Denis Potvin for the middle period on Sun Sports while Bobby "The Chief" Taylor will work on the Fox Sports Florida telecast with Panthers' play-by-play man Steve Goldstein.

NUTS AND BOLTS

Lightning prospect G Dustin Tokarski picked up the win in Canada's opening-round victory against the Czech Republic at the World Junior Championships in Ottawa on Friday. ... LW Ryan Craig was a healthy scratch for the second consecutive game. ... C Steven Stamkos started Friday's game as the fourth-line center.

Erik Erlendsson