Saturday's lineup

Scheduled to play Saturday against the Capitals:

Forwards

Prospal-Lecavalier-St. Louis

Hlavac-Karlsson-Ward

Darche-Craig-Wanvig

Roy-MacDonald-Tarnasky

Defensemen

Ranger-Boyle

Smaby-Lukowich

Jancevski-Janik

Goaltenders

Holmqvist (playing the entire game); Ramo.

Comments

[kronos]

Melrose is a laughingstock and, frankly, ESPN has become one for the past several years. That being said....

Some of you need to be careful for what you wish for.

I can't imagine criticizing an owner for a hands-off approach. Who cares if Davidson doesn't know a hockey puck from a door stop? He hired good people and let them to their thing. The result was a Stanley Cup in Tampa and a perennial contender. How many of hockey's Original Six have been contenders for the past 5-6 years? One (hint: Davidson's hometown).

Now you want Doug MacLean--a proven failure and meddler. Under his leadership, the Jacket's record was an unimpressive 172-258-62 and they never made the play-offs. He was abrasive as a head coach and in the front office. A cancer for sure.

And a full-scale investigation ought to be launched into this guy Sherrin, his land deals, and financial wherewithal. The SPT ought to be ashamed of that fluff piece about him. There's a reason he doesn't want to be in the spotlight.

I predict all this will be academic anyway because the prospective ownership group will pull out. They are frantically seeking deep pocket partners as you read this.

[Lightning rod]

If the team D just holds the blue line part of the time, this will be a better season than last. Forcing a team to dump and chase, will give the D at least a 50/50 chance to control the puck, and get it out of the zone. It will also help the goalie's, especially Homer, who gave up goals on quick shots from the side boards. I like this change a lot.

[goldenbolt]

WOW - Retreat and POKE check are on the way out...... just read the headline article on the Bolts..... Good to hear Boyle talk about watching the game and indicating that we outmanned them at the blue line but backed off. This will take a bit to implement as a team maybe 15 - 20 games but the result will help the goaltending and team offense. Just think like the other good 'D' teams who turn the puck over and it ends up in a counter rush.... I heard Torts mention this on the Bolt show a week or so ago and now we have it in print..... I can't wait......

C ya all tonight..... go bolts this is almost like '''''' whoooo hoooo

[goldenbolt]

During the cup run every series he spoke of how "TERRIBLE the BOLTS were" and picked every team we mathced with as the winner in five. Also, after we whipped their butts he said we were very lucky the other team played poorly during the series. It was at that moment I realized to turn it off or listen for a laugh.

Due note mbab and company as you continue to lament the fact that we have three super stars ad nauseum TSN, and the NHL do not even comment on the MVP line as one of the best 10 for the upcoming year. Also, all the ranting and raving of the northern brethren on how we need to trade one of our chumps to them for NOTHING because we have a lousy team. Ok, let's look at the facts..... how many cups above the border in the last 5 years? answer 0 - . How many teams have been to the party four years running - 0 that would be none...... I will take the ride yearly versus another hammer job like the Bruins or Edmonton took once their respective players were exchanged for chump change. The team will find a way again this year and by the way they have already anointed every canadien team the cup...... with their superb lines, 'D' and goaltending...... what will be their excuse this year? Time will tell.

Go Bolts - and please no more pointers on 2005 - 2006 stories been there done that...... I'm moving on.... lol

[Joe]

Absolutely right! Barry Melrose is all about show biz. He went Hollywood with his hair and his wardrobe when he was coaching the Kings. I'll never understand what keeps this guy on the tube because his babbling is very often trite, highly repetitive, and/or reflective of his misunderstandings. ESPN hockey coverage continues to drift.

[mbab]

had to share this with the group...does anyone else laugh everytime they see barry melrose do expert commentary on nhl hockey...i read his predictions for this year....sums it up saying the lighting could stumble to tenth....but in the article he points out how thin we are because of self-imposed cap, how goal tending is a three man toss up...ok some good points...and then he says we lost two big defensemen....cory sarich and......tada.....luke richardson....what an idiot...does he ever really watch hockey or is he to busy combing his hair???i remember about two years ago they asked him on tv about us and he said he really liked the lightnings big three...etc etc and then said, and this is close to a quote....i like brad richards, a "big physical" forward.....twice now he has said something about the lightning that shows he ain't gotta clue.....gave me a good chuckle....go bolts

[slapshot]

we need ramo to play a game to see if he's any good.