Lightning’s Hale expected to fill in on blue line

Posted Oct 5, 2009 by Erik Erlendsson

Updated Oct 5, 2009 at 01:09 PM

RALEIGH, N.C. - The Lightning have hit the ice for a second day of practice at the RBC Center in preparation for Tuesday’ Southeast Division matchup with the Carolina Hurricanes.

With Kurtis Foster missing his second consecutive practice with an undisclosed lower-body injury suffered in Saturday’s season opener in Atlanta, it looks as if David Hale will take his spot in the lineup.

Tampa Bay head coach Rick Tocchet said on Sunday he was deciding between either Lukas Krajicek or Hale while saying that Matt Smaby would have to wait his turn. But during practice today, Hale was working as a pair with Andrej Meszaros while Krajicek and Smaby were together during drills.

It hasn’t exactly been a secret that Tampa Bay woukd like to move one or two defenseman off its roster as the team is carrying nine defenders, and with Foster out it gives the Lightning the opportunity to showcase its extra players.

Also, after seeing the lines shuffle around a bit at the end of Saturday’s game, Tocchet has kept the line combinations intact for the past two days of practice.

The lines continue as:

Alex Tanguay-Vinny Lecavalier-Steve Downie

Ryan Malone-Steven Stamkos-Marty St. Louis

James Wright-Jeff Halpern-Drew Miller

Todd Fedoruk-Zenon Konopka-Stephane Veilleux

Tocchet had Wright playing with the Lecavalier line for some shifts on Saturday because he felt Downie did not have a good second half of the game.

The other defensive pairings today are:
Mattias Ohlund with Victor Hedman while Paul Ranger is working with Matt Walker.