TORONTO - Captain Dave Andreychuk said it is the responsibility of the players, not those who make the rules or enforce them, to reduce the kind of violent incidents that recently marred the game.
"I believe the respect has to come back for the players to each other," Andreychuk said Tuesday. "We have to take it upon ourselves as players. I think it will be an issue this summer."
It was a huge issue here after Toronto's Wade Belak was suspended eight games for a stick-swinging incident. Of course it all began March 8 when Todd Bertuzzi sucker-punched Colorado's Steve Moore from behind.
"Well, I think a little bit; the accountability for your actions," Andreychuk said when asked if respect between players has declined. "But the game also changed. The players are a lot quicker, the physical play is still there and emotions are going to run high. That's been going on for years. You just want to keep those incidents to a minimum."
Andreychuk reiterated the onus is on the players.
"I don't think it's the officiating, no," he said. "You can maybe keep the game under control a little more with what happens leading up to an incident. But I don't think you can change the officiating to where it will stop the incident. It's the mind-set of the players, absolutely."
HOME SWEET HOME: With its regular-season road schedule complete, the Lightning will not play away from home again until the week of April 11 in Game 3 of the East quarterfinals.
Good because players get to recharge. Bad because too much time at home can cause distractions. That is why, like last season, the team likely will stay in a Tampa hotel during the playoffs.
"There is some opportunity for you to get complacent," associate coach Craig Ramsay said. "You look around and say, "Well, we're at home and everything is going to be okay."'
"It can get into a little bit of a rut," Andreychuk said. "That's why we're talking about doing other things outside the game (fishing, golf) to try to keep fresh for when we get on the ice.
"I think a lot was learned last year outside of the game as far as what happens with your families going into the playoffs and what you have to do to keep your concentration up."
A JUST REWARD?: Given a choice, wing Martin St. Louis said he would rather not be a contender for the Lady Byng Trophy, awarded for "gentlemanly play."
"The Lady Byng, I don't know," St. Louis said. "Everybody wants to be a nice guy and everything, but I don't see myself a Lady Byng contender."
St. Louis, who has a league-high 89 points, was reminded he had just 28 penalty minutes.
"Yeah, I know, but I don't think it's based on how many penalty minutes you take. I've had my fair share of chit-chat this year on the ice. I've said things that would take the Lady Byng away."
PERRIN MAY PLAY: Rosters can expand without limit after the trade deadline. But general manager Jay Feaster said he will wait until the AHL season ends April 11 (and later in case of playoffs) before possibly calling up players. The exception likely will be Hershey, Pa., center Eric Perrin, who leads the league with 52 assists and is second with 73 points.
"Eric Perrin is a guy who deserves to play his first NHL game," Feaster said. "If things work out right, we're looking to be able to do that."
"If that was to happen, I'd be the happiest guy that day, for sure, anywhere," Perrin said. "It would be a dream come true."
ODDS AND ENDS: The first-period goal by defenseman Brad Lukowich was his career-high fifth. ... The Lightning broke an 0-4-0-1 streak in Toronto. ... It won 57 percent of faceoffs. Andreychuk won 14-of-19. ... Wing Ruslan Fedotenko played his 300th game. ... Left wing Andre Roy sat out with dizziness the team said could be an inner-ear problem. With wing Dmitry Afanasenkov out for a second straight game with dizziness likely caused by Saturday's hit from Boston's Nik Boynton, Tampa Bay used defenseman Nolan Pratt as a forward until defenseman Darryl Sydor was hurt. ... Defensemen Darren Rumble was scratched.
