There's enough blame to go around

By By DAMIAN CRISTODERO and EDUARDO A. ENCINA
Published December 21, 2007

ADVERTISEMENT Brad Lukowich sat with a sore left shoulder.

TAMPA - The focus of the Lightning's troubles has been goaltending. It's an easy target considering the stats, including a league-worst .879 save percentage entering Thursday.

But center Vinny Lecavalier said, "We've got to stop blaming the goaltenders. It's a team thing, and our consistency hasn't been very good."

Tampa Bay also has been hurt by a lack of scoring, inconsistent situational play and injuries that currently have sidelined six players, including the latest, defenseman Brad Lukowich. He sat out against the Maple Leafs with a bad left shoulder.

General manager Jay Feaster said that is where he fell short.

"You want responsibility? The responsibility starts with me," he said. "Right now, we don't have the depth that we're able to sustain ourselves and carry ourselves through these injuries. That's nobody's fault but mine."

TIME TO SIT: Coach John Tortorella said Lukowich, who had played in all 34 games, has battled injuries most of the season, but it reached the point where he needed to sit the veteran.

"I don't think he really wants to, but it will hurt the club if he does play," Tortorella said. "I'm not sure what will happen after this game."

Lukowich said he didn't know when the injury occurred and said the decision to sit out was "not my call."

"I do my job and come to the rink every morning expecting to play," he said. "And if it's going to affect my performance, then it's selfish of me to try to go out there and be a hero and play injured when we've got guys capable of doing the job."

KEEPING THE CORE: That Oren Koules has exclusive negotiating rights to buy the Lightning should quell any trade rumors regarding the top players.

Feaster has said one reason Koules (who attended Thursday's game) is interested in the team is those players. It would seem foolish, then, for the team to move any of them while negotiations are ongoing.

"That's nice to hear," Lecavalier said of the expected stability. "But it's not something I can control."

ANOTHER BLOW: Forward Craig MacDonald lost several teeth and suffered lacerations to his tongue and inside his mouth that needed stitches after he was hit in the mouth by a puck shot by Hal Gill with 1:57 left in the game. Forward Mathieu Darche said he saw at least one tooth on the ice and called the accident "pretty scary."

EUROPEAN VISIT: New Players' Association executive director Paul Kelly said it could take another 30 days before plans are finalized, but it still seems Tampa Bay, the Senators, Penguins and Rangers will open next season in Prague, Czech Republic, and Stockholm, Sweden.

The new twist: Kelly said it is unclear what teams will play where. (It was believed the Lightning would face the Penguins in Prague.) And it is possible teams could play in both cities.

ODDS AND ENDS: Defenseman Jay Leach played his third NHL game and first since 2005-06. ... Goaltender Marc Denis was a healthy scratch. ... The Bucs' Micheal Spurlock, fresh off his historic kickoff return for a touchdown, opened the game with the ceremonial "Let's play hockey" to a loud ovation.

[Last modified December 21, 2007, 00:42:06]