Sports: Kravchuk was not pursued

Kravchuk was not pursued

By DAMIAN CRISTODERO and BRUCE LOWITT

TAMPA -- The name Igor Kravchuk was front and center for a few days around the NHL as the Senators put the 6-foot-1, 218-pound defenseman on 48-hour waivers.

Kravchuk was claimed by the Flames on Friday. Lightning general manager Rick Dudley said he did not put in a claim.

"We have (Andrei) Zyuzin. We have Pavel (Kubina). We have (Paul) Mara," Dudley said before Friday night's game against the Canadiens at the Ice Palace.

Even if the Lightning had made an attempt, it would not have gotten Kravchuk because the Flames had a worse record than Tampa Bay when he was put on waivers on Wednesday and had first claim.

The Lightning also has no need for a defenseman that won't stay home, and Kravchuk has a reputation as a rover. Tampa Bay has made much recently of getting its defenseman to play a more positional game.

Kravchuk, 34, has a goal and five assists in 15 games and is a plus-4. He also will make about $4.75-million this season and next, a price Dudley admitted was a high.

"I like Kravchuk," Dudley said. "But if I was going to spend the kind of money we'd have to spend to get Kravchuk, it would be prudent to wait and get exactly what we needed."

In that sense, Dudley said not making a claim for Kravchuk was more a hockey decision than a financial one, though he added, "Everyone in the NHL lives within a budget."

INJURY REPORT: Center Vinny Lecavalier was high-sticked by Martin Rucinsky with 1:26 to play and had his nose broken.

"It felt like my whole nose exploded," Lecavalier said. He will play tonight against Calgary. Right wing Wayne Primeau won't. He suffered a left knee contusion when he was checked into the boards with 1:49 to play. X-rays were negative.

Defenseman Sergey Gusev, who hasn't played since injuring his right knee Dec. 19, was activated and sent to IHL Detroit for two games of conditioning. He is expected to rejoin the Lightning on Tuesday at Montreal.

Defenseman Pavel Kubina, who suffered a concussion a week ago during Tampa Bay's overtime win over the Islanders, was put on injured reserve, effective Nov. 3. He is eligible to come off IR and play tonight.

HOW LONG?: Stan Drulia's empty-net goal was Tampa Bay's first since April 8, 1999. "Last year?" he exclaimed. "Well, last year we didn't win a whole lot of games at the end, and when you're not winning games, when you're not up by a goal, teams aren't pulling their goalies for you. It's a good sign that we're getting some opportunities."

GLASS HOUSES: Montreal defenseman Brian Savage fired a shot several feet wide of the goal that shattered a pane of glass 4:52 into the first period, causing a 10-minute delay. PAUL PALS: Mara is donating four club seats for each home game to children who reach reading comprehension goals. Paul Mara's Pals is part of Tampa Bay Reads, a non-profit organization that funds grass-roots literacy programs.