Very good, Barry Melrose. Take off that rubber Rick Tocchet mask and show yourself. That must be you behind the Tampa Bay Lightning bench, giving “not ready for prime time” Steven Stamkos just 9:15 minutes of ice time, Thursday night against the Colorado Avalanche. Only three shifts in the third period? “He has to be ready from the start,” said Melrose… err… Tocchet of Stamkos.
On Saturday night in Atlanta, against the Thrashers, the Bolts made it official. They are the worst team in the NHL. The Thrashers won, just their fourth game in the last 19 tries. After the game, the diminutive center, Marty St. Louis’s frustration level boiled over. “It’s plain and simple. Not enough guys want to make a difference, they’re killer clocks, that’s all,” the crazy St. Louis yelled as he slammed his shin guards to the ground. “I’m (expletive) fed up!”
Coach Rick Tocchet continued to team up defensemen Marik Malik and Andrej Meszaros; even though they gave up three of Atlanta’s four goals. Defensive errors dogged the Lightning all night. The two combined were a -6 on the night and delivered the drive, over and over and over again. Tocchet did not know what to say, after the defeat. “I feel sorry for our fans,” he stated. Tocchet continued: “It seems like every time there’s a little adversity or it’s 1-1, the guys freeze up, their legs don’t work.”
Rick Tocchet is losing the locker room and his team. Is it really you there, Barry?