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Quick Strikes: A story of two very different games

Syracuse Crunch and Tampa Bay Lightning players react to their very different Saturday night games.

The Headline

The Tampa Bay Lightning and the Syracuse Crunch both played Saturday night. Both teams’ social media was then appropriately filled with reactions yesterday. However, given the outcomes of each of those games, the tones of those reactions was rather....different.

First up, the Lightning’s energetic response to their 8-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets lit up their social media for most of the day:

Lightning assistant coach Jeff Halpern was pleased with the feel and the pace of the team’s game.

Brayden Point was clearly happy with the chemistry between himself, Steven Stamkos, and Yanni Gourde. Who can blame him?

Meanwhile, in Syracuse, the tone was much less celebratory and much more...um...well. Take it away, coach:

Justin and I are pretty much in agreement here that we’ve never really seen him quite so terse and tense. He was clearly unhappy with his team’s effort, and as much as we can point out how young the Crunch’s roster is, coach Groulx also has a right to expect more from his team.

Look for more on what went so wrong for Syracuse last week later this morning.

Other Lightning News

Historical photos featuring Phil Esposito are always a win!

Other Crunch News

Members of the Crunch’s front office got up early Sunday to lend their presence and support to the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk.

Raw Charge contributor Tracey Lake was at the game Saturday, and posted an album of pictures up on her Flickr.

News from Around the Sport

Buffalo Sabres prospect Victor Olofsson scored a super pretty goal during the Rochester American’s game on Sunday:

It’s really hard to not love Roberto Luongo. The Athletic agrees. Usually I give them grief for their paywall, but this article is unlocked, and it’s lovely.

During the ceremony, general manager Dale Tallon presented Luongo with a golden goalie stick. Teammates Aleksander Barkov, Vincent Trocheck and Keith Yandle unveiled framed momentos of Luongo’s time with Vancouver and the Panthers.

There’s optional, and then there’s optional.

Congratulations to American Hockey League referee Keith Kaval on his career and his retirement:

There’s a reason hockey players who win awards and trophies are so quick to thank their parents: They probably all know, deep down, that their parents sacrificed sleep, warmth, sanity, and some of their health for every single stride their young hockey player made.

It has never occurred to me before that smoking in arenas was once a thing. Thank goodness it isn’t anymore.

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