Tonight's focus for Tortorella? Everything

By TOM JONES
Published September 19, 2005

BRANDON - Finally, the Lightning gets to hit someone else.

After five days of intrasquad games (and a 15-month layoff because of the lockout) the Lightning opens its preseason tonight in Detroit.

"I've seen enough here at camp," coach John Tortorella said Sunday. "I'm ready to see us play another team."

General manager Jay Feaster will be looking for something specific.

"I'm particularly anxious to see us play with NHL officials showing us how they're going to call the new rules," he said. "We're at the point now in camp where we need to see somebody else and see them with NHL officials out there."

And what is Tortorella looking for?

"Everything," he said. "Especially coming off of being away for a year. You can only get so much in these scrimmage games. Now you got to go play against another team with people you're not having lunch with. I think we're looking at everything because of being away so long. To me, it's a whole fresh start to see where we are."

RICHARDS RULES: Center Brad Richards and linemates Marty St. Louis and Fredrik Modin were the top three scorers during the scrimmage tournament. After two more goals Sunday, Richards finished with 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists) in five games. St. Louis had 15 (seven goals, eight assists) and Modin 13 (four goals, nine assists).

YOU LOOK FAMILIAR: Corey Schwab , who played 86 games in goal for the Lightning from 1996-99, was hired as a goalie consultant. He will work with the organization's minor-league and junior goalies and scout future prospects.

"I wanted to stay in the game and this is a great opportunity for me," Schwab said. "This is probably the best organization in hockey to work for. They're first class, and I'm really excited to be back here again."

Schwab, 34, retired after the 2003-04 season. He will be based out of Seattle but spend much of his time with theminor-league affiliates in Springfield and Johnstown.

MISCELLANY: Forward Ruslan Fedotenko , recovering from hip surgery in June, will make the two-game trip to Detroit and Montreal but is not expected to play. ... Defenseman Todd Rohloff missed his fourth day with back spasms.

[Last modified September 19, 2005, 01:09:09]