By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Change of plan
Bruins G Tim Thomas, left, and Lightning G Dwayne Roloson have never met, but Thomas said Roloson affected his decision on where to go to college. Thomas in 1993 was recruited by UMass-Lowell. "But Dwayne Roloson would have been returning as a senior," Thomas said. "So I didn't pick UMass-Lowell because I could have redshirted. I decided not to go to UMass-Lowell because of Dwayne Roloson." Instead Thomas played from 1993 to 1997 for Vermont and was a teammate of Lightning W Marty St. Louis. "Obviously, over the course of the years, it changed how everything worked out," Thomas said.
Slow recovery
From Lightning spokesman Bill Wickett about assistant coach Wayne Fleming, below, who May 3 had high-risk surgery at the University of California-Irvine Medical Center to remove a malignant brain tumor: "Wayne Fleming is slowly progressing, as is to be expected after such an intricate procedure. He is expected to remain at the medical center for the next few weeks as he recovers."
Watch your step
The rules prohibiting anyone from stepping on the logo in the middle of the Lightning locker room have been in place for almost 10 years. Ignorance of the rule is no excuse; many out-of-town reporters have been scolded by players for treading where they shouldn't. Tuesday it was coach Guy Boucher who walked across the logo. There were no complaints from the players. Asked about it, Boucher noted next season's logo change, shrugged and said, "It's the old one."
Quote to note
"We were ready to play (Tuesday). It's been a while now. These guys are competitors. You want to compete on the ice, but at the same time, you don't want any injuries at this time of the year, so you're kind of dancing on one foot or the other. At the same time, it's time to get on with the show. That's how we feel right now."
Coach Guy Boucher, on the Lightning's 10-day break between games
Tickets
Tickets for Games 3 and 4 and a potential Game 6 of the Eastern Conference final against the Bruins at the St. Pete Times Forum go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at the box office and via Ticketmaster (outlets, toll-free at 1-800-745-3000, ticketmaster.com).