Quick Strikes: Bolts skate with Rays while Torts tortures Habs

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Back to work — Kalamazoo weekend preview

Kalamazoo signs former Boston Bruin pick Anthony Camara

From the Press Box: Get in where you fit in

Raw Charge’s CrunchCast Episode 2

The Bolts

While the Montreal Canadiens had the worst game of their season (or any recent season in NHL history) yesterday, losing to the Columbus Blue Jackets 10-0, the Tampa Bay Lightning had a rather nice day. In the morning, they had members of the Tampa Bay Rays on the ice for practice.

Tucked into a Bolts Today segment about skating with the Rays was an update on Jonathan Drouin’s health. “He’s getting better — day to day,” said Jon Cooper.

“Not many people can chase a baseball like Kevin Kiermaier. A hockey puck? That's a different story.” [Tampa Bay Times]

Bolts Today:

And at night, the building hosted women fans for Lady’s Lightning U. Bolts’ new in-house television broadcaster, Caley Chelios, tweeted photos throughout the night.

In system news, the Syracuse Crunch beat Rochester, 3-2, and the Kalamazoo Wings beat the Brampton Beast 5-3. [Syracuse Crunch] [Kalamazoo Wings]

Lightning Shout’s Photoshop Friday is all about that 10-round shootout, apparently: “I am not giving away my shot!” Clever. Very clever. [Lightning Shout]

“Point scored the Lightning's lone goal during the 10-round shootout, beating Bruins G Tuukka Rask during the fourth round.” [Tampa Bay Times]

“What is keeping the Lightning (6-4-1) afloat during the early part of year is its power play. The bane of last season is now a strength.” [Tampa Bay Times]

The League

How a brave Rangers family is leaning on the NHL. "Sports has a way of affecting real people in real, tangible ways. You can know that in an intellectual sense, just as you can know someone affected by cancer, but to see it and hear it up close is to make it real, make it visceral." [New York Post]

Can the Maple Leafs become the NHL's version of the Chicago Cubs? "it was hard not to draw comparisons between the Cubs and Leafs, both iconic franchises in their respective sports with rabid, long-suffering fan bases." [ESPN]

“Just days after Halloween, the Habs star in their very own horror show.” [HEOTP]

Lol. Blue Jackets rout NHL-leading Canadiens 10-0. [Associated Press]

Yeah, thanks for taking this dubious honor away from the Bolts, Montreal!

"With McDavid and Matthews at the forefront, it’s a good time to be a fan of a Canadian NHL team. That’s as good a reason as any for all the hoopla." Until Matthews starts to play for the US national team, of course. [Yahoo Sports]

"Teenagers are playing—and dominating—in the NHL like never before, thanks in part to a heightened emphasis on speed over size." [Wall Street Journal]

Good episode, and a fascinating look inside the Department of Player Safety. "On the latest Puck Soup podcast, we had a peek inside the NHL’s Department of Player Safety with special guests Damian Echevarrieta, the NHL’s vice president of Player Safety and Hockey Operations and Patrick Burke, Director of Player Safety." [Puck Daddy]