The Bolts
Swagger.” It’s the word that defines Jon Cooper’s tenure the Tampa Bay Lightning head coach. We look back at that and what made him the winningest coach in franchise history. [Raw Charge]
Unfortunately hockey, like most sports, is a “what have you done for me lately” environment, especially among fans. Despite his record of success, during their recent swagger-less run of mediocre play, some fans had been calling for the head of Jon Cooper on social media. Expect it to get worse if the Lightning fail to make it out of the first round.
Kuni-vision. 👀#GoBolts pic.twitter.com/0OGPWiKbib
— x – Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) April 4, 2018
It is so good to see Andrei Vasilevskiy find his groove again in the win versus Boston. [Tampa Bay Times]
And as Brayden Point and Victor Hedman talked about Tampa Bay’s 4-0 win Tuesday — one in which the Lightning played its best game in weeks — they made sure to credit the last line of defense. That would be goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy, who set a franchise record with his eighth shutout of the season by playing his best game in some time.
Tampa Bay Lightning great Vinny Lecavalier is getting inducted into the QMJHL Hall of Fame. It’s about time. [The QMJHL]
One of the few Quebec-born players to get selected 1st overall at the @NHL Entry Draft, it is tonight that @VLecavalier4 will be inducted to the QMJHL Hall of Fame. #GoldenPuck
MUST READ: https://t.co/Y9RW5gFOK6 pic.twitter.com/2AmPOqvEf0
— QMJHL (@QMJHL) April 4, 2018
The Prospects
Alex Barré-Boulet, a prospect in the Tampa Bay Lightning organization, has won both the QMJHL’s MVP award (Michel-Brière Trophy) as well as ending the season as the league’s top scorer, earning him the Jean-Béliveau Trophy.
The Michel-Brière Trophy is prestigious since it is awarded to the QMJHL’s Most Valuable Player. The 2017-18 season winner is… Alex Barré-Boulet of the @ArmadaBLB! Congratulations! #GoldenPuck pic.twitter.com/5lZ9LFwPb3
— QMJHL (@QMJHL) April 5, 2018
Barré-Boulet not only won the scoring title, but he did it with 12 more points than the second-place player in the league! Barré-Boulet also led his team to first place in the entire league with a record of 50-11-4-3 (a 0.787 win percentage).
The regular season’s top scorer, Alex Barré-Boulet of the @ArmadaBLB finished with a 12-point lead on his nearest rival. For that, he wins the Jean-Béliveau Trophy! #GoldenPuck pic.twitter.com/5ovzqCBhff
— QMJHL (@QMJHL) April 5, 2018
Cal Foote goes home (so he can pack his bags for Syracuse) while the Soo Greyhounds prepare for the next round in this weeks prospects update. [Raw Charge]
In the OHL, the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds swept the Saginaw Spirit, so Katchouk and Raddysh are resting up to be ready for their next victim. The Q hasn’t been as friendly to prospects, as both Somppi and Barré-Boulet missed some games to end their first round series.
.@Kelowna_Rockets aren’t done! @TBLightning prospect Cal Foote makes it a 3-0 game only 3 minutes in! #KELvsTC #WHLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/3spoNGXCA8
— The WHL (@TheWHL) March 25, 2018
The AHL has announced it’s All-Rookie Team. Unfortunately, no one on the Syracuse Crunch made the list. We still love them, but just not as much since they didn’t make the team. [The AHL]
Mason Appleton – Dylan Strome – Daniel Sprong
Previous selections to the annual AHL All-Rookie Team include … Dan Girardi (2006) … Ryan Callahan (2007) … Brian Boyle (2008) … Cory Conacher (2012) … Tyler Johnson (2012).
The 2017-18 AHL All-Rookie Team has been announced. #AHLAwards
Details: https://t.co/M4g8DHGWAo pic.twitter.com/aeIt6Cj26a
— AHL Communications (@AHLPR) April 4, 2018
The Syracuse Crunch also made some roster moved yesterday, releasing defenseman Craig Wyszomirski from his PTO and ending Matthew Spencer to the ECHL. [Syracuse Crunch]
Wyszomirski, 25, appeared in seven contests with the Crunch after signing a PTO with the team on March 16. He has also skated in 60 games with the Manchester Monarchs of the ECHL this season recording 15 points (2g, 13a) and a plus-7 rating. Last season, he split time between Manchester, earning 12 points (4g, 8a) in 45 games, and the Ontario Reign, skating in three contests.
The #SyrCrunch have released defenseman Craig Wyszomirski from his PTO.
Additionally, Matthew Spencer has been reassigned to the @ECHLThunder.https://t.co/BaPPBgkyGJ
— x – Syracuse Crunch (@SyracuseCrunch) April 4, 2018
The Syracuse Crunch’s goalie’s have two very different personalities, but combined they’ve made a great duo in net. [Syracuse]
Ingram, the perky up-and-comer from Imperial, Sask., and Pasquale, the reserved insurance policy who hails from Toronto, have combined for a winning chemistry as they battle for the only position on the ice where only one man plays at a time.
”I don’t know what it was with him, but, yeah, it just seemed to work,’’ Ingram said of the seemingly mis-matched personalities.
The Game
Malcolm Subban has emerged as a high-end #2 to MArc-Andre Fleury’s #1 in Vegas. [Vegas Sun]
Not only has he established himself as “the goaltender of the future,” for Vegas, but he provides solace for Golden Knights’ coaches, players and fans, knowing the team has a capable backup during the playoff run. Starter Marc-André Fleury has already missed time twice this season, and has a history of concussions.
The St. Louis Blues had their fate in their own hands…until they lost 4-3 to the Chicago Blackhawks thanks to Duncan Keith’s second goal of the season with eight seconds left. [STL Today]
“I think it was probably a lot of us (playing) nervous,” center Brayden Schenn said. “You want to win so bad obviously and come away with two points, you start overthinking things and you stop moving your feet and that’s what we did there for a little bit and it just got away from us.”
Highlight of the Night: the aforementioned winner by Keith
Game-winner with 8.5 seconds left. pic.twitter.com/UhTfCGDT41
— NHL GIFs (@NHLGIFs) April 5, 2018
