Meszaros, Krajicek expected to play

Lightning defenseman Andrej Meszaros, who took 64 stitches in his face and mouth when hit by a slap shot Saturday night from Carolina's Anton Babchuk, is expected to play tonight against the Thrashers in Atlanta. Lukas Krajicek (fingers) also is expected to play instead of the team going with five D.

As for Meszaros, trainer Tommy Mulligan said the blue-liner took stitches in his upper lip, both inside and out, in his gum line and in the roof of his mouth. Amazingly, Meszaros did not lose any teeth or sustain a concussion. Mulligan said that is thanks to Meszaros wearing a mouth guard, something Mulligan said he pushes other players to do. he said a bout 50 percent of Lightning players wear mouth guards.

Mulligan said the injury is now in his top three for ugliness along with Jassen Cullimore's face getting sliced by the boards during the 2003 playoffs and Craig MacDonald losing nine teeth last season when hit by a puck against the Maple Leafs.

Meszaros will wear a full mask today and likely take a mild pain medication, Mulligan said. How much he plays probably depends on how much discomfort he can manage. One thing Meszaros won't be doing for a bit is eating solid food. Mulligan said the team hotel today blended up a concoction of pasta and chicken into a mashed potato-like paste.

Meszaros declined to speak about the injury this morning other than to say he is doing well. He said he would rather talk after the game.

Comments

[Coach Bill]

Mike 13- I can uaually get you a free ticket whenever I go ( which is most every game).Let me know when you want to go.The next 4 games should be good.

[Melanie]

I am glad that Meszaros is okay so to speak). Good to see that he could play in the Atlanta game.

Smaby has been doing a great job since he has been called up!! (I've been in the Smaby camp since last season.)

I'd like to see Ramo get some time in between the pipes! I love Mike Smith but I know that he has to be tired. He needs a break!

[Mike13]

Sorry for the double-post.

[Mike13]

Hockey Chic: Alright, it's cool. Sorry for the mis-interpretation of your comments.

Coach Bill: I would love to meet you guys and gals. I almost went to the Habs game, but it turns out that I couldn't afford it - which is the case most of the time. Someday though...

[Mike13]

Hockey Chic: Alright, it's cool. Sorry for the mis-interpretation of your comments.

Coach Bill: I would love to meet you guys and gals. I almost went to the Habs game, but it turns out that I couldn't afford it - which is the case most of the time. Someday though...

[Coach Bill]

Hockey Chic- You ARE a player. You've got a heart of a lion.
Mike- The Chic didn't mean anything insulting to you.
She's just just a fired up hockey player. Wish you could come to the meet and greets. You'ld love her.
Olin- Please don't ever think I feel that V4 and MSL and Prospal are anything less than great. I just see our problem so deep that it won't be fixed in their "lifetime" and if we could get the components we need,and they would need to be under 25 years old,then I would trade them and let them fly again. They deserve it! I am NOT advocating we "dump" them like they"re dead wood or something.
Also remember I said any movement has to begin with a competant GM which we sorely need.
This ain't my first rodeo folks. I've played,coached,and love hockey. I'm in this for the long run. You can't get attached to players because you love them. The real team is not them. It's US.We're the ones who live here and have been coming and will continue to come for years. To quote my favorite band, "They're just the players. We are the Show...ooo,ooo...we are the show!" ( Outlaws,1986)

[Hockey Chic]

Mike 13,

I did not mean it as a slam as much as pointing out that not only in the NHL, AHL, ECHL and rec leagues around the world the one thing we always talk about it injury.

Not when it is happening but after one has recovered. I agree he could be a liability to the team if he is in pain or still badly injured. But in this case I think he really thought he would be an asset to the team and was.

Again Mike, not meant to be a slam or insult to anyone. Just trying to point it out from a players (mine mostly) perspective.

Go Bolts1!!

[Patrick]

Great win for the bolts - a convincing win over a crappy team without Ranger and with two rookies on D. Man that sucked when Smitty got robbed of the shutout, but yet another solid performance by our great goalie none-the-less. This was also the best game I have seen Krajicek play. I was shocked to see he actually played 25 minutes.

Who was saying Ryan Malone was overpaid by 500 k? Whatever... He's been worth the extra money, given the other choices we have at wing - that was a hole that needed to be filled.

What does anyone else (anyone but PD) think about Arty being a second liner? It's neat for now, but I'm thinking he really shouldn't be any higher than the third line. I think he's been playing well there for right now though. I hope he continues to improve and make me eat my words.

[Mike13]

Hockey Chic, why in the world would you say "If you have or had ever played hockey you would understand that this is what they do"? Insults from you are not often dished out, so I am particularly ruffled by that statement.

I TOTALLY understand that hockey players are the toughest players out there. I get it. Totally. Oftentimes though an injury such as the one he suffered last night, most of the time, means that he is going to be a liability out there on the ice. So in that regard, it would be a dis-service to the team.

Mesz is not the same kind of player that MSL is. But, I may have to re-evaluate that given how many minutes he played tonight (25:38), and how well he did (+1 rating, plus the keep in that led to MSL's 1st goal).

[2WayCenter]

Yes, a win is a win. I'm in the Smaby camp too. I agree, he does seem to be the most confident. He takes a few strides before making the transition pass and seems to be less timid in the corners than some of the other make shifters. I'm routing for him.

[Joe Bolts]

No Brittany you are not alone.

[Brittany]

Well that was a good win (minus crapping on Smitty's shutout with 21 seconds left). Sure it was the Thrash and it wasn't the most exciting game ever, but hey, a win is a win! Hopefully they can build on this during the road trip. Smitty did shut the Yotes out in his first ever NHL game so maybe he can continue that on Thursday.

Am I the only one impressed with Smaby's play during this call up? Every game he has played I think he has gotten better and you can see that he is getting more comfortable out there.

[olin]

...Coach Bill''''ll- did ya check the V4-MSL jam this afternoon...?? Absolutley we cannot trade these guy's. If we were higher up in the standing's(due to Mullet head era)at this time, I'm sure you would see those day's of 2004 rekindle as we all KNOW they can do. Bring the kid's up, but ya gotta keep the jam. Pick up 2 vet blueliner's at trade time. And your 100% correct Tack, get a real GM in here, and let Tocch do his thing.

[Boltflasher]

Good game....I admit I was gone out of town and did not see any of the 3 game win streak games and my first game back last nite looked like the same old stuff. Tonight looked a lot better (even though it was the trashers). Good to see the Bolts take out the trash tonight...

[Boltflasher]

Eminger should be the primary point guy on the PP, as he's the only one who seems to be able to get an accurate shot on goal from the point which has been one of the problems with the powerplay. Good for him!

[Brittany]

Looks like Smitty will be starting again tonight. We dug ourselves into such a hole, the only way out is to play him every night. I just hope we don't burn him out too quickly, but I understand the need to play him. Of course I doubt he would ever admit to being tired anyway so I'm sure he isn't too upset playing all of these games.

I think it is going to take more than a few (okay, a lot) of stitches to keep the boys off the ice. As long as their arms and legs still function, it would take an act of god to keep them in the press box. Mez's face will probably hurt, but it shouldn't bother his game too much. They'll give him some pain meds and he'll be good to go.

[Herb]

Anybody going to concede the early season prediction contest to me yet? I believe my prediction of 21-45-15 is right on target so far close to the midway point of the season. I might have too many wins and not enough OTL's though.

[Hockey Chic]

Vott and Mike 13,

If you have or had ever played hockey you would understand that this is what they do. Injury is something that one fights through and the sooner one gets out there the better. It is a win for the player and the team. Sheer detetemination.

There is no dis - service by being out there. Contrary to your belief if Mez did not try to skate he would be a dis - service to his team. Way to go Mez. Way to step up...

Now thats a freakin hockey player..

Go Bolts!!

[Mike13]

I concur with VOTT. Meszaros would be ill served, as would the balance of the players, if he were to be on the starting roster this evening.

I also agree with Brittany's statement on the other post about Vinny's shoulder. It is clearly still bothering him enough to ice it up after every game - and perhaps between periods. I think that is his problem, not being the Captain.

Some interesting suggestions by Coach Bill about revamping the team. I'm not sure how much I agree with the extent of the changes, but I have advocated the acquisition of 2 veteran Defensemen since the beginning of the season.

One other thing directed to Lawton, call up Lundin already. If other teams wanted him, they would have claimed him on his way down. It's not like the kid makes a ton of money. It's a low risk move.

[The Voice of the Turtle]

One must respect courage, but also honor discretion. The Lightning would pay greater respect to Andrej Meszaros by leaving him out of the lineup than suiting him up.

Andrej's desire to play sends the right message to his teammates, but the coach's (or management's) decision to put him on the ice at this time sends the wrong one.