Injuries lead to Lightning lineup changes

Posted Nov 21, 2008 by Erik Erlendsson

Updated Nov 21, 2008 at 01:11 PM

Another injury has crept up for the Lightning for tonight’s game against Nashville, and from yesterday’s line combos, there was a hint to who’s hurting now. While Chris Gratton has not been ruled out for tonight and he will take warmups to see how he feels, he has a lower body injury that has crept up. It’s not any kind of a muscle issue, I’ve been told, so I think we can rule out another groin strain. Gratton was one of the last guys off the ice, so if that’s any indication, looks like there is only a slim chance he plays.

Gary Roberts is definitely out, according to interim coach Rick Tocchet, with an upper-body issue that put him on the injury report on Thursday.

With Roberts out and Gratton iffy, looks like Matt Pettinger and Ryan Craig get the call. No sign of David Koci this morning, but he is supposed to arrive in time for the game, although I don’t think he’s going to in the lineup.

Tocchet was asked about whether he felt Koci’s presence was a need or a luxury, and basically he said the team toughness displayed by the team thus far has been good so he essentially said it’s nice to have Koci’s presence, but didn’t state where he fits into the team’s plans right now.

Mike Smith returns to the nets once again for Tampa Bay.

With original Lightning coach Terry Crisp in the house, he always draws a crowd from some former employees who worked with him, including video coach Nigel Kirwan, who stopped by to say hi to the coach who gave him his first break. Crisp, now a television analyst for the Predators, also came by to say hi to Tocchet, whom Crisp coached at the junior level. Tocchet had nothing but glowing praise for Crisp, who on Tocchet’s draft day went down to the Phadelphia Flyers draft table in Montreal, which was followed quickly by Tocchet’s name being called by the Flyers in the fifth round of the draft.