ATLANTA - Much is made of Lightning coach John Tortorella's up-close and persistent style, especially when it involves Vinny Lecavalier. But his team could have avoided some of the recent pointed discussions, benchings and hubbub had it handled what has grown into a scoring and winning dilemma.
"When we started struggling, we felt our team had grown in that locker room and we thought we would let them try to play through it. We didn't put too much pressure on them, we just thought we would let them play through it," Tortorella said. "It didn't work, and there was a conscious decision to allow them to grow even more. It didn't work, so we made a conscious decision to turn up the heat."
Friction with some of the Lightning's "go-to players," most publicly Lecavalier, has generated more heat but little improvement in scoring (26 goals in the past 16 games) and results (3-10-3 record).
But it seems unlikely the players will get another chance at working it out their way.
"Out of 23 here (on the roster), 211/2 understand (the team concept)," Tortorella said. "Until we get 23, we get pushed.
"This is how I coach. This is how our coaching staff coaches. We're honest, we're consistent and we're going to continue being that."
Captain Dave Andreychuk, assuredly part of the 211/2, is glad of it.
"I think you need to have that pressure on you every night," he said.
REPRIEVE: The game misconduct penalty assessed to Lightning left wing Chris Dingman on Tuesday in Boston will be rescinded by NHL director of officiating Andy Van Hellemond. Lightning general manager Jay Feaster appealed, arguing Dingman did not throw punches but interceded to prevent teammate Nolan Pratt from fighting with Bruins tough guy Sandy McCarthy. Dingman, the Lightning penalty-minutes leader, has one game misconduct in the general category, which covers third-man-in and illegal tiedowns. Three such infractions earn a game suspension. He also has one penalty each in the instigator and aggressor columns, which incur a two-game suspension after three infractions.
WHAT A DRAG: Feaster's 9-year-old son, Bobby, experienced an NHL road trip from the blue-collar perspective, helping team equipment managers haul gear bags from the team truck to the locker room. Theresa Feaster, 11, accompanied the team to Boston on Tuesday, but didn't have to work for her passage.
SLAP SHOTS: Forwards Ruslan Fedotenko and Ben Clymer and defenseman Darren Rumble were scratched. Right wing Shane Willis (five points in eight games) was active for the first time in three games. If Willis plays one more game or stays with the team a month (through Wednesday) he would have to be passed through waivers to be reassigned to the minors. ... The Islanders' 4-3 overtime win over New Jersey moved them a point past the Lightning for eighth in the Eastern Conference.
