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Lightning expectations rise

The management, players and coaches want the team to be in playoff contention in March.

By DAMIAN CRISTODERO

© St. Petersburg Times,
published October 5, 2001

TAMPA -- The Lightning is 10 years old this season. It is time for its players to grow up.

Patience always has been Tampa Bay's virtue. The team was young, everyone said. Wait until the players mature and reach their potential.

But as the Lightning prepared for tonight's opener against the Islanders at the Ice Palace, the players said they know the wait is over.

"It's a crutch that's been used the last couple of years," center Brian Holzinger said after Thursday's practice. "Now that excuse is right out the window."

Tampa Bay is still a young team. The average age is 26.1. But some of that youth is NHL savvy.

Defenseman Pavel Kubina is 24 but has played 217 games. Unsigned center Vinny Lecavalier is 21 but has played 230.

Defenseman Andrei Zyuzin, 23, has played 179 games. Defenseman Cory Sarich, 23, has played 136.

Mix in a few quality veterans, and the expectation is the players are ready to excel.

"I don't think they're going to take the young team excuse from us anymore," wing Ben Clymer said. "I think we've outgrown that. We're a much more mature team than last year. Hopefully, this will be a year we step it up and really get an impact from everybody, young and old."

Said defenseman Jassen Cullimore: "The time for saying, "You've got to grow with them,' is over."

Cullimore has a unique perspective. The 28-year-old is in his fifth season with Tampa Bay. No player has been around longer.

He said expectations are the highest he can remember, and he is not talking about management's mandate that the team play "meaningful games in March."

What that really means: The team better contend for the playoffs.

It is a lofty goal considering the Lightning has been out of the playoff hunt the past four seasons by about Christmas.

But Cullimore said he is more concerned with what the team expects of itself.

"I think in past years, you came to camp saying this is a young team and you can't expect too much of them," Cullimore said.

"Before, with the coaches, they knew they had a young team and players. So they sort of pushed them with kid gloves. You didn't want to be too hard on them and do anything to wreck their confidence."

With coach John Tortorella, the gloves have come off as players must now win his confidence.

Since taking over in January after Steve Ludzik was fired, the coach has preached accountability and responsibility, not only to the coaching staff, but to the players. If they don't perform, Tortorella said consequences include a loss of playing time. Lecavalier felt that sting in February, when he was benched for the third period against the Sabres.

The coach said he doesn't want players afraid to make mistakes.

"It's a game of mistakes," Tortorella said. "But if the concentration isn't there and the effort isn't there, you're letting your team down. And if a guy keeps getting away with it and nothing is done, it gets to be a bad situation in the locker room."

Sometimes, expectations are built among teammates. That's one reason Tampa Bay acquired veteran defenseman Grant Ledyard, 39, left wing Dave Andreychuk, 38, and center Tim Taylor, 32.

Call it the Lightning's big brother program.

"We can put a little pressure on them; positive pressure to make them want to be better and be ready for every game," Taylor said.

The team is not going to play well every night.

"That's impossible," Taylor said. "But if you're prepared to play, you can catch some teams on off nights. And that's where you steal your points."

It's a small lesson. But Tortorella is a big believer in small, day-to-day issues transforming a team.

"We're still a team learning that," he said. "But expectations are a big thing.

"They are not high enough, but I think they've been raised."

Tonight: Lightning vs. Islanders

WHEN/WHERE: 7:30; Ice Palace, 401 Channelside Drive, Tampa.

TV/RADIO: Sunshine; WDAE-AM 620.

THE LOWDOWN: The Islanders are a vastly different and improved team, featuring centers Alexei Yashin and Michael Peca and goaltender Chris Osgood. Osgood, acquired in the waiver draft from the Red Wings, is expected to be the No. 1 goalie. He is 9-0 against the Lightning with a 1.66 goals-against average. Yashin also has had success against Tampa Bay with 17 goals and 20 assists in 26 games. Nikolai Khabibulin will be in net for the Lightning. He is 2-2 against the Islanders with a 5.34 goals-against average. The Lightning sent LW Gordie Dwyer to Springfield, its minor-league affiliate, and recalled LW Ryan Tobler. The Lightning is 4-3-2 in season openers and home openers. This is the third consecutive season the Lightning opens against the Islanders at the Ice Palace. Tampa Bay won 4-2 in 1999. The teams tied at 3 last season. New York is 7-13-9 in season openers and 5-12-8 in road openers. Tampa Bay was 2-1-2 in preseason. The Islanders were 2-3-1. The Lightning leads the series 20-15-3 and is 10-8-2 at the Ice Palace. The Islanders have not won at the Ice Palace since Oct. 14, 1998. Lightning officials discourage fans from bringing bags, and purses, diaper bags and similar items are subject to search.

INFORMATION: Call (813) 301-6500.

-- Compiled by Damian Cristodero.

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