As the Lightning return to home ice they have three fairly important games on the schedule this week. It was another road trip that was almost good enough. It ended 1-2 with losses to Winnipeg and Boston bookending a win against a depleted Minnesota team. While the final score of the Boston game wasn’t pretty (7-3), it was a one-goal game heading into a final period where they allowed just 4 shots, unfortunately 3 went into the Lightning net.
Now the Lightning are back on friendly ice with three games to look forward to this week. First up will be a Los Angeles Kings team that is 13-3 on the road. Then it’s the New Jersey Devils on Thursday. They’re a mere 12-6-0 away from home. Finally, prior to a four-day break, they take on the Anaheim Ducks, who are 7-9-0 on the road. Not great, but it’s better than their 6-15-1 home record. So, these games won’t come easy for the Lightning.
It’s getting to be decision time for Julien BriseBois and the executive staff. With the season at it’s midway point, does he have confidence in the group to turn it around? Does he feel they are just a tweak away from getting on track? Should he find a way to swing a major trade? Or is it time to rebuild and retool? Those questions will likely be answered over the next couple of weeks.
Despite the stops and starts of the season, the Lightning are still lingering around a playoff spot. The teams around them in the Atlantic (Toronto and Detroit) have been battling their own demons over the first 40 or so games, so a small run of victories could knock this season right back on track.
Hockey News
Crunch 4, Marlies 3 (OT) [The AHL]
Joe Carroll provided the overtime heroics as his second goal of the night was the difference. Waltteri Merela and Maxim Groshev had the other goals while Hugo Alnefelt stopped 24 of 27.
PWHL Minnesota Home Opener sets record [Minnesota Star Tribune]
An announced crowd of 13,316 saw the Minnesota team take on their counterparts from Montreal. It’s the largest recorded attendance for any professional women’s hockey game. The home team skated to a 3-0 victory behind 24 saves from Maddie Rooney and a hat trick from Grace Zumwinkle.
How Zach Hyman is defying aging curves [The Athletic]
At age 31 he’s on track to shatter his career best goal marks. Is age just a number in the new NHL?
Connor Bedard on IR [Second City Hockey]
Hockey’s newest star suffered a setback last week when he took a hit from Brenden Smith that sent him to the locker room, and eventually injured reserve, with a broken jaw. While there is no set return date for last draft’s number one pick, six weeks seems to be the historical timeline for similar injuries.
William Nylander nears new contract [Toronto Sun]
Willy Styles appears to be on the verge of signing a handsome contract extension. Reports are that he is close to signing an eight-year deal with an estimated $11.5 average annual value. Good work if you can get it.
2024 NHL Draft Lottery Odds: Slackin’ for Macklin [Daily FaceOff]
Well now. This probably isn’t a list we want to see the Lightning on. Or is it? After all, if you’re going to miss the playoffs, why not go all the way and get that number one overall pick?
