The Bolts
Congrats @B_Howdy21! https://t.co/yQp1Cry7LB
— Tyler Johnson (@tjohnny09) December 31, 2016
It’s always neat to read about proud college teams boasting on their players. Former Quinnipiac standout Matthew Peca returns to NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning. [New Haven Register]
After two concussion scares, Lightning’s Michael Bournival making most of his chance. “You can see it on the ice. Bournival, 24, a relentless wing, plays every shift with desperation. He refuses to be denied on a forecheck or in front of the net. That contagious competitiveness has helped the callup from AHL Syracuse stick in the Lightning lineup the past four games.” [Tampa Bay Times]
Tasha’s editorial about the Toronto game: Tampa Bay Lightning Are Falling Back Into Old Habits. “After starting off the season with a bang, the Lightning seemed to slip into a deep downward spiral.” [Bolts by the Bay]
WJC
” We dem boys” all night long @HC_Men 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦 @baynep @SAMMYSAYS2010
— Steven Stamkos (@RealStamkos91) December 27, 2016
Raw Charge’s preview is out at 9!
Drama in Team Finland: What playing in the relegation round means for Finland at the WJC. [Sportsnet]
And the result of the drama: Report: Team Finland fires world junior coaching staff. [Sportsnet]
Denmark finally falls: Switzerland beats Denmark but both advance to QF; Slovakia also in. [ESPN]
2017 World Junior Championship Day 5 Recap: Switzerland Wins in SO, Slovakia Raises Its Game. [Defending Big D]
The League
Disagreeing with Geo’s piece about the Weber hit, the DPOS thinks his hit was safe. NHL Department Of Player Safety Thinks Weber Hit Is Safe. [Tough Call Blog]
Historic NHL showdown, outdoor games top holiday lineup. “The NHL’s year-long 100th anniversary celebration begins with Sunday’s Centennial Classic outdoor game between the Detroit Red Wings and host Toronto Maple Leafs while Monday finds the St. Louis Blues entertaining Chicago in the 2017 NHL Winter Classic outdoor contest.” [Associated Press]
There is still a lot of Olympics dithering going on: Despite no progress, NHL working on schedule to accommodate Olympics. “The National Hockey League is putting together two schedules for 2017-18 — one in case the NHL goes to the Olympics in 13 months in South Korea, one if it doesn’t.” [Winnipeg Sun]
Here’s a nice strong opinion piece about it from the WaPo. The NHL needs the Olympics, so it would be foolhardy to skip the 2018 Games. [Washington Post]
Love watching outdoor games? I’m not a huge fan, but the uniforms are always great: Uni Watch’s Flashback: The NHL’s outdoor brigade. “The Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs will be playing in the Centennial Classic on New Year’s Day (additional info on the uniforms is available here), followed by the St. Louis Blues and Chicago Blackhawks facing off in the Winter Classic on Jan. 2 (additional uniform info here).” [ESPN]
The big question is, will Shanahan score the game-winning-goal against the Leafs? Nicklas Lidstrom, Doug Gilmour to wear famed numbers. [NHL.com]
The NHL is trying to have it both ways with fighting, and it’s endangering the players. “Allowing players to drop the gloves to settle feuds or seek their own form of on-ice justice has been a central part of NHL hockey for a long time. To a certain extent, players are allowed to police the game, and that’s something that many fans love and don’t want to see taken out of the game.” [Fox Sports]
Happy New Year’s Eve!
Catch us later for some great year-in-review pieces about the Bolts and the Syracuse Crunch.
