Tampa Times
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Tampa, FL. - The Lightning have been hit hard with injuries as of late. Patrick Elias an Marc Savard are both out with injuries and are also the top two scorers on the team. Both players were injured in a game against the Carolina Hurricanes. The Lightning and Hurricanes have played each other three times in the past 6 nights and the games have become pretty heated and looks like the beginning of a rivalry.
Last nights game was costly loss for the Lightning, not only costly in the standings but costly on the roster. Marc Savard is out with a wrist injury after going after a loose puck and then getting pushed hard into the net by defencemen Roman Hamrlik. Elias is out with an elbow injury at the hands of Ales Kotalik of the Hurricanes. No penalty was given to Hamrlik but Kotalik was issused a minor and a game misconduct. In the previous game Kevin Bieksa suffered a mild concussion on a questionable hit from Roman Hamrlik.
General Manager Chris Joyce was very heated after this last loss and made a brief statement. "The league needs to take a closer look at this guy Hamrlik. He is taking runs at our players without any consequences. If the refs and league wont do anything about it I sure as hell will"
A few hours after the GM's little tirade the Lightning announced that they have made three seperate deals.The three playes obtained are forward Jody Shelley from the New York Rangers, defencemen Jason Strudwick from the Colorado Avalanche and forward Brad May was acquired from the Calgary Flames All three were acquired for an undisclosed amount of cash. All three are expected to be in the lineup for Tuesday nights game against the Hurricanes in Carolina.