Bolts Will Travel Without Roy
Damian Cristodero of the St. Petersburg Times reports that Andre Roy will not travel with the Tampa Bay Lightning on this current roadtrip:
Team spokesman Bill Wickett said Roy would not rejoin the team on the road trip which finishes up Sunday in Columbus.
Left wing Karl Stewart was called up from AHL Norfolk.
Roy apparently will not be suspended by the league for his antics on the bench in the third period of the 3-2 loss to the Flyers, when he jawed with Riley Cote on the Flyers bench, pointed fingers and made a throat-slashing motion.
Roy fought Cote twice Thursday. The first period bout went to Roy who took Cote down with a string of hard lefts. But the second-period bot went to Cote who decked Roy with a brutal left hand. The replay was shown multiple times on the Wachovia Center scoreboard which apparently angered Roy. There also was scuttlebutt Roy was being taunted by some Flyers. Still, Roy, who has been consistently ordered by coach John Tortorella to control his emotions, was not pleased and benched Roy after the second fight and quickly took further disciplinary action
Roy and Torts have clashed numerous times in the past. Roy is a very emotional player who not only reacts on the ice, but is more outspoken than your typical NHLer off the ice.
Roy salary is listed at $1 million for 2007-08 according to the NHLPA and his contract expires at the end of the season.
