Burke not whining in supporting role

By TOM JONES
Published October 11, 2005

TAMPA - Sean Burke could pout if he wanted. He could get angry and complain to coach John Tortorella or even the media. Instead, he shows up and does his job.

At the moment, his job is waiting patiently while John Grahame starts in goal. Four games into the season and the veteran Burke, signed just before the season after the Lightning lost Nikolai Khabibulin , has not started, although he did replace Grahame with 10:28 left in the third period Monday.

Most figured he would start one of the back-to-back games against Florida. He definitely was expected to play Monday.

But Tortorella is riding Grahame.

"I want to play, of course," Burke said. "But I've always tried to look at the game from not just my own viewpoint. If a guy is playing that well, you got to play him."

That's why Burke is not griping. So far, Grahame has deserved to keep playing and Burke, who turned down an offer to be the No. 1 goalie in Pittsburgh, knew going in he might have to wait his turn from time to time.

"That was one of the things I thought a lot about when I came here," Burke said. "You're not going to play every night. There are going to be times when you're not playing and how is that going to sit with you? How are you going to handle it? But at the end of the day, this is an opportunity to come to a team that does things the right way. This is one of those times.

"John Tortorella is going to do what he feels is best for the club."

When he signed Burke, general manager Jay Feaster said Burke would either be the No. 1 goalie or the No. 1 supporter of Grahame. So far, that's true.

SPECIAL OF THE DAY: Most teams have two power-play units. But with so many power plays early this season because of the league's crackdown on obstruction penalties, Tortorella is thinking about adding a twist.

"I've toyed in my mind with having three power-play units," Tortorella said.

The main reason is to keep the players not normally involved on the power play in the game. The last thing Tortorella wants is six or seven players thrust into the heat of a game after sitting for long stretches.

"I've (also) toyed in my mind having three power-play units because simply the other guys aren't working," Tortorella said. "Eventually we'll have to look at three units not just (because) of the amount of time you're on (the power play), but it's a good push for the other two units. If they're not doing their job, get the other unit in there."

INTERESTING NUMBERS: Through the first 40 games of the season, scoring is up 41 percent over the first 40 games of the 2003-04 season. Meanwhile, fighting majors are down 40 percent. In the first 40 games, 29 did not have a fight.

In addition, shots are up 13 percent, shutouts are down 70 percent and, the best news of all for the NHL, attendance is up 6.2 percent.

[Last modified October 11, 2005, 01:58:15]