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© St. Petersburg Times, published December 18, 2001
MONTREAL -- Dave Andreychuk was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. It was 9 a.m. Sunday and the left wing was showing the way during practice at the Molson Centre.
A veteran move. The team was out late the night before, enjoying the annual dinner that rookies buy. Andreychuk, 38, in his 20th season, was making sure everyone had his eyes back on Monday night's game against the Canadiens.
"It only happens once a year," Andreychuk said of the dinner. "It's a time to bring the team together. It's something that's passed down from year to year. If you're going to have a good time, you have to be ready to play.
"That's the message I wanted to get across to them. I was taught that when I was 21. No matter what happens the night before, you have to work on the ice."
A main reason the Lightning acquired veterans Andreychuk, Tim Taylor and Grant Ledyard was to impart such wisdom to a youthful team.
"Those are the intangible things you need," coach John Tortorella said. "It can't always come from (the coaches). It has to come from in the room."
Mission accomplished.
"When someone has a good practice you notice, and when it's a guy like Andy, and when you see the way he responded, it does send a message," wing Sheldon Keefe said. "You've got to come to work the next day."
BAD TIMING: Left wing Gordie Dwyer was called up from AHL Springfield Saturday and arrived just in time to get stuck with part of the $20,000 bill for the rookie dinner.
Also contributing: defensemen Sascha Goc and Cory Sarich and right wing Jimmie Olvestad. Dwyer and Sarich dug deep because they missed last season's dinner.
"It was fun and that's the main thing," Dwyer said. "I just don't want to look at my credit card bill."
HOMECOMING: Left wing Martin St. Louis, who grew up a Canadiens fan in the Montreal suburb of Laval, said he had about 30 family and friends at the game.
"It's got a lot of meaning for me," he said of playing in Montreal. "I grew up with these guys. To be on the ice against them, it's a good time for everyone."
Was the homecoming a distraction?
"I got to go home (Sunday) night and have a home-cooked meal," St. Louis said. "If that's a distraction, I guess that's what it is."
ODDS AND ENDS: TSN, Canada's equivalent of ESPN, reported Montreal's Doug Gilmour is considering retirement, but the Canadiens persuaded him to play at least through Christmas. ... Dwyer and Goc were scratched.