Quick Strikes for Tuesday, April 14

• This must have seriously hurt the editor for this paper to post this. Good for them that they’re not being homers, though. Still, Detroit Red Wings fans cannot be happy about it. USA Today picks the Tampa Bay Lightning to win in six. [Detroit Free Press]
• Vincent Lecavalier has seen a lot of head coaches come and go during his time in the NHL, but he’s always maintained some distance about that – at least, publicly. It seems, however, that he’s embraced the role of coach killer these days. [Broad Street Hockey]
• The Ottawa Senators are enacting their own geographic ticket sales rule. Just don’t even get me started on that again. Seriously. [Ottawa Citizen]
• As I type this while grinding my teeth, so are the Nashville Predators, once again – but with a twist. [The Hockey News]
• Things are looking bright for the Calgary Flames, as they’re getting ready for their first playoff series since 2009 against the Vancouver Canucks in the first round. Although how you can say they’re “taking a chance” on a Stanley Cup winning coach seems a little strange to me. [Calgary Sun]
• If you’re a betting person…well, here you go. These are the odds the higher seeded team will be upset in their opening series in the Eastern Conference. The Lightning seem the second least likely, according to this article. [Washington Post]
• Also, if you’ve missed it, the Old Man has re-upped with the Florida Panthers. That’s right, we get one more NHL season with Jaromir Jagr. Will that mean the Kitties will get their playoff shot with a full season of Jagr in the lineup? Stay tuned. [Litter Box Cats]
• Apparently, while on their eastern road trip, the Los Angeles Kings locked out their head coach for a players’ only meeting when they were in Tampa. But, strangely, this event didn’t make it to that particular EPIX episode. Despite that particular TV intrigue, there doesn’t seem to be much out of the ordinary outside of that. [Puck Daddy]
• Oh, and one more thing:
  

  Chart: The gap between 1st and 16th in the NHL is the smallest it’s been in 35 years of this playoff system #parity pic.twitter.com/digVrkUDvt

  — James Mirtle (@mirtle) April 14, 2015

• Finally, as many of the Raw Charge regulars know, I have been complaining about the lack of emojis on the game threads for years now. Well, all of SB Nation now has emojis in the comments starting today! I’m so excited! Though, I know many of you may be annoyed, so…sorry about that. [Emoji Cheatsheet]

Who will win the Tampa Bay / Detroit opening round series?