New Year’s Eve with the Bolts

Posted Dec 31, 2008 by Erik Erlendsson

Updated Dec 31, 2008 at 01:46 PM

First off, I want to wish everybody a happy new year, but more importantly, a safe new year. We all need some glimmer of hope in these difficult economic times, and hopefully the turning of a new year will provide that.

For the second consecutive year, the Lightning will play a New Year’s Day game, which means it’s another New Year’s Eve on the road. Last year, it was in Toronto where I watched the Times Square ball drop from my hotel room. This year, I hope to be out somewhere in Washington to ring in the New Year (after hopefully watching the U.S. vs. Canada World junior game on the NHL Network somewhere)

As far as the team is concerned, Vinny Lecavalier and Paul Ranger were given the day off on Wednesday to rest. Lightning coach Rick Tocchet said Lecavalier is a little nicked up, but it’s not his shoulder. Neither are expected to miss Thursday’s game against the Capitals.

The team went through a light practice, working on a lot of breakouts and zone-entry plays.

The lines were jumbled a bit again with the combinations running as follows:

Prospal-Craig (for Lecavalier)-St. Louis

Malone-Halpern-Artyukhin

Pettinger-Szczechura-Recchi

Jokinen-Stamkos-Hall

Marek Malik did practice after missing last night’s game with the flu, although he did come off early really sniffling on his way to the locker room.

Mike Smith will get the call again in net against Washington. I asked Tocchet today whether he might consider giving Karri Ramo a game, and he said it’s not really in the plans right now because Smith is playing so well. Not to mention that Smith has established himself as a true No. 1 to this point, and seeing this much action is another test to see how he performs and holds up to this many consecutive starts.

That’s all I have for today. Be sure to check out a pretty cool story I’ll have in the paper after talking to both Ryan Malone and Adam Hall about playing in the outdoor game last year in Buffalo. Hall also played in the Michigan-Michigan State outdoor game a few years back.

Once again, be safe and enjoy ringing in the 2009!!!!