by DAMIAN CRISTODERO, Times Staff Writer , St. Petersburg Times

League rules say players cannot be listed among faceoff leaders unless they have taken at least 15 percent of their team's draws. The Lightning had taken 518 before the game with the Senators, meaning Konopka would need 78.

He had taken 57, winning 40.

"He told me last year he's a better faceoff guy than anyone thinks," coach Rick Tocchet said. "It's not that I didn't believe him, but sometimes you have to move into that role.

"There's probably times I'm going to have to start getting him out there more. He's producing. I'd be crazy not to use him."

Konopka said he began paying attention to faceoffs as a 12-year-old after a coach compiled the stat. As Konopka got older, he realized that "being able to take draws meant you got a little more ice time."

How do you win faceoffs?

"For me, it's like raw power," he said. "But there's always a way to beat a guy. There's probably seven ways to win faceoffs. You just have to pick the right one at the right time." Konopka said, "It would mean a lot" to lead the league "because of how much emphasis I put on faceoffs all my career." Even so, he said, he hasn't lobbied Tocchet for more faceoffs.

But Tocchet has a different story.

"He's already bugging me."

TANGUAY MOVE: Alex Tanguay played on Steven Stamkos' line after two games on Jeff Halpern's and got his first goal of the season. The hope was that Stamkos and LW Ryan Malone, with 17 goals between them after combining for three vs. Ottawa, would help kick-start Tanguay.

"I need to get him stabilized," Tocchet said. "Like I said before, he was out of whack. I thought the last game (Saturday against the Sabres) he had some really good shifts, and I was trying to build on that momentum.

"If Tangs can find his game here - and he's had two or three good days of practice with those guys - I think it would be a successful line for us."

THE WRIGHT STUFF: Rookie LW James Wright played his 10th game, meaning this season will count toward his eventual free agency even if he is sent back to juniors.

Wright knows he still could be returned to WHL Vancouver but said his stint in the NHL already has been invaluable.

"This whole experience has given me the confidence to know that I can play at this level and know I can contribute to the team and not just be a body on the ice," he said. "This has been instrumental in helping me along the way believe in myself."

TAMPA BAY FIGHTS CANCER NIGHT: About 4,000 members of the bay area cancer community (patients, family, caregivers) were at the game courtesy of the Yerrid Foundation.

ODDS AND ENDS: Marty St. Louis' second-period penalty shot was the 34th in Lightning history. Seven have succeeded. St. Louis is 0-for-5. ... Defensemen Lukas Krajicek, Matt Smaby and Paul Ranger (personal) were scratched. ... Tocchet said Smaby is cleared to play from his upper-body injury.

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