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Lightning has short-handed practice

Injuries and Olympics leave 14 skaters getting ready for the final stretch.

By BRANT JAMES, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published February 23, 2002

BRANDON -- The second day of the Lightning's second training camp of the season was heavy on conditioning Friday as the team prepared for 24 games in 48 days with several key players missing.

The absence of Olympians Nikolai Khabibulin (Russia), Pavel Kubina (Czech Republic) and Juha Ylonen (Finland) was anticipated.

But injuries to top scorers Martin St. Louis, Fredrik Modin and Vinny Lecavalier plus defenseman Nolan Pratt have hurt drills in quality and quantity.

"We've ended up with 14 skaters out there," Lightning coach John Tortorella said. "That's where we're at, so there's no use to get in a huff about it.

"In some drills, it's nice to have a smaller group. But to run a good practice with that amount of bodies is tough because you just can't keep them going at a high tempo."

Center Vinny Prospal said he is ready to go at a high tempo, or any tempo for that matter. He just wants to play games again.

"I feel like I just want the games to start," he said. "It's been a nice break. We got some time off, so let's go."

Tortorella said he noted a marked improvement in certain skills Friday.

"I think you can tell ... they were better with the puck," he said. "That goes really quick. The guys' hands as far as skills leaves them for a little bit, and we had a much better practice that way."

Today, Tortorella plans to discuss a recommitment to what he calls the "season within the season," the final 24 games (15 at home) in which it must make up 13 points to earn the final playoff spot in the East. MODIN UPDATE: Modin had his injured and unimproving right wrist recast Friday. He is scheduled to fly to Virginia on Monday to see an orthopaedic specialist.

Modin, the team's second-leading scorer with 14 goals, has missed seven games and likely will miss several more with the regular season resuming Tuesday.

NOT YET: Lecavalier, recovering from a chipped bone in his left ankle, did not skate Friday but still is day to day. He is expected to test the ankle again today.

Lecavalier, injured early in a 4-2 loss to Washington on Feb. 9, is third on the team with 13 goals.

UPCOMING: The tenuous injury situations of Modin, Lecavalier and Pratt (broken leg) likely will prompt the promotion of wings Nikita Alexeev (20 games, three points, minus-4), Sheldon Keefe (15 games, 3 points, minus-3) and Martin Cibak (2 games, 1 point, minus-2) from Springfield.

"I thought Cibak played very well in the short time he was here before the break," Tortorella said. "He hits, and he didn't hurt us defensively."

OLYMPIC STYLE: Seemingly everyone has an opinion on the quick-pace, offensive-minded rules employed in Olympic hockey, but one particular wrinkle has drawn universal support from the Lightning: the 15-second faceoff rule.

"That's a good rule," Modin said. "Keeps the game moving."

Lightning general manager Jay Feaster said he believes the prompt puck drop makes the game more marketable.

"Anything we can do to speed the game up is a good thing," he said. "The games are starting to push the three-hour mark. If we can tell a family, "We can entertain you for two, 21/2 hours,' that's a good thing."

RANGERS: Center Mark Messier will decide in the next few weeks on season-ending shoulder surgery. Messier, 41, had three high-intensity ultrasound treatments on his ailing left shoulder during the Olympic break. Anti-inflammatory drugs enabled him to play the last five games before the break.

-- Information from Times wires was used in this report.

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