Quick Strikes: Tampa Bay Lightning injury update edition

The Bolts

Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos will be a game-time decision for the game against the Boston Bruins. [NHL dot com]

Stamkos wore a regular jersey and skated with a handful of Lightning players during the optional practice before the team boarded a flight Wednesday afternoon for Boston. Stamkos said he felt “okay” after the skate and will see how the injury responds to the workout before deciding whether to play in the Bolts’ pivotal Atlantic Division showdown in Boston Thursday.

Stamkos said he’s been dealing with a “nagging” ailment, will be a game-time decision for Thursday’s game at Boston. “We’ll see how it feels the rest of today, tomorrow.” #Bolts

— Bryan Burns (@BBurnsNHL) March 28, 2018

Will the Lightning be able to right the ship in time for the playoffs? The team sure thinks so. [Tampa Bay Times]

“You can’t give up when it’s going bad,” Brayden Point said. “If you work through it when it’s going bad, eventually we’ll find it. It’s a stretch where it’s not going so good. It’s bound to happen at one point. You can’t play 82 perfect games. I think we’re not in the same groove that we were, but we’ve got time to get it back.”

"There's going to be up and downs, it's a long year. Good teams don't let those slumps last too long and get back on the winning track and back playing the right way. That's what we're trying to do right now."

Practice day | Ryan Callahan: pic.twitter.com/a08p9zzouB

— x - Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) March 27, 2018

The Atlantic Division, we want that. [Tampa Bay Times]

Win tonight and you can bet the swagger will return to the Lightning, a team many consider a Stanley Cup contender. It will have to be a ton better than the group that has lost three of its past six, including Monday to Arizona, among the league’s bottom dwellers.

You have to see Yanni Gourde’s pre-game rituals. The rookie runs the show at the pre-games for the Lightning now. [NHL dot com]

The lights dim, the music starts, the Tesla coils fire and that night’s starting goaltender leads the Lightning onto the ice to start pregame. The players spend a few minutes skating around and shooting at the net. Once it’s time to begin line rushes, Gourde is the player tasked with collecting all of the pucks, centralizing them in one area inside the net and dishing them out three or four at a time to center ice.

Our friendly beat writer Joe Smith has left the Tampa bay Times and will be joining the brand new Athletic Tampa Bay. I too will be announcing my new job with a tweet+article titled “Why I’m joining the Athletic.” Jokes aside, huge congrats to Joe!

Thrilled to announce that I’m joining the tremendous team at @TheAthleticHQ, launching @TheAthleticTB Monday April 2! Plan to bring my best #TBLightning coverage + hope you’ll join for what could be long playoff run. Promos coming shortly! Reach out at jsmith@theathletic.com

— Joe Smith (@JoeSmithTB) March 28, 2018

The Prospects

The Syracuse beat the Binghamton Devils 5-1. AGAIN. [Auburn Pub]

The Crunch netted three goals in the first period and cruised to a 5-1 win over the Binghamton Devils at the Onondaga County War Memorial Wednesday. Syracuse has won six straight and has points in 15 of the last 16 games. Syracuse’s Carter Verhaeghe recorded a pair of power play markers in the first period. The forward has four goals in his last three games.

A textbook 2-on-1. #BNGvsSYR pic.twitter.com/hnQ5cUAC85

— x - Syracuse Crunch (@SyracuseCrunch) March 28, 2018

Mitchell Stevens and Jonne Tammela both left practice due to injury and did not skate in yesterday’s win over Binghamton.

So Stephens left practice today with an injury and won’t play Wednesday

— Syracuse Hockey (@syrhockey) March 27, 2018

Also Tammela hurt his leg or knee in post practice skating. Left ice very gingerly. Don’t know status

— Syracuse Hockey (@syrhockey) March 27, 2018

Meanwhile, Sault Ste. Marie sweeps Saginaw to move onto the second round.

🚨GOOOOOOAL!🚨

SEALED BY KATCHOUK, HIS THIRD. 5-3 SAULT, 1:11 left to go!! | #SSMvsSAG

— xyz Soo Greyhounds (@OHLHoundPower) March 29, 2018

The Game

The Canucks needed some advice from a winning team. We haven’t even won a Cup (yet) but Raw charge gave it a try. [Nucks Misconduct]

Question #2

Canuck fans have a long history of cheering for players who have minimal talent, but a lot of “potential”. Can you point a player on the Lightning that fits that mold and explain why Canuck fans should fall in love with him?

31 Thoughts from Elliotte Friedman. Need I say more? [Sportsnet]

10. Florida GM Dale Tallon fought off any urge to move Henrik Borgstrom this season. They were trying to get Ryan McDonagh and there’s no doubt the Rangers asked.

“He is an NHL-ready player,” said Montgomery, his college coach. “The key will be his consistency of competitiveness. He’s so creative, he can make plays from the middle of the ice. If he wants to be good defensively, he can be.”

Zdeno Chara is staying in Boston for another year and why wouldn’t he, he’s making $5 million bucks plus bonuses! [Sportsnet]

Chara’s new contract calls for $5 million in salary next season and includes an easily achievable $1.25-million bonus if he plays 10 games, according to a source. The Bruins captain can earn an additional $250,000 bonus if the team qualifies for the playoffs in 2018-19 and another $250,000 if it wins the Stanley Cup.

Highlight of the Night: Auston Matthews gets #30, Zach Hyman gets in the way.