The Bolts
Recap: Maybe the Tampa Bay Lightning aren’t falling apart. [Raw Charge]
“The Lightning still have a lot of work to do in cleaning up their defensive coverages. They gave up too many rushes to the Blackhawks and it was only through the Grace of Vasilevskiy that the puck stayed out of the net.”
Final numbers from tonight’s 2-0 blanking of Chicago! #TBLvsCHI pic.twitter.com/SSUwMYcR6K
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) January 23, 2018
Goalies, contracts, CBA. It all might turn sideways for the Lightning very quickly. [Raw Charge]
We also have a poll available that pertains to goalie usage! The introduction is a very very good snapshot of what the NHL and AHL goaltending picture looks like. [Raw Charge]
“While Domingue passed through waivers when Arizona did so, his resurgence since then makes it seem less likely he would go unclaimed again. Budaj, on the other hand, with his ups and downs to the season, may be able to pass through waivers and be assigned to the AHL.”
40 saves. Seven shutouts. Franchise record – tied.#VASYVASYVASY. 👑 pic.twitter.com/jH5KWCR32q
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) January 23, 2018
We need a major act for All-Star Game Sunday’s concert. We are not Kid-ding around. [Raw Charge Fanpost]
“I’m sure the NHL is going to get us someone cool right? I mean they can’t get us someone who’s outdated, irrelevant, and boring — I know NHL has a history of doing that but this is in Florida and the Lightning are off to an great start so it’s gotta be big!!”
Vinny x1000!!!
Jan. 21, 2013 | Vinny Lecavalier skated in his 1,000th @nhl game against the Islanders. Four days later, we honored him at home in a special pregame ceremony. #VL4#Bolts25: https://t.co/J7wTszqxWu pic.twitter.com/nv8WiMvKKz
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) January 22, 2018
ICYMI, the Tampa Bay Lightning have lost Ondrej Palat for a very long time. 6-8 WEEKS to be exact. [Raw Charge]
“News broke today that forward Ondej Palat has returned to Tampa Bay for further medical testing after an unidentified injury during last night’s game against the Minnesota Wild. Palat did not play for the last part of the third period, with speculation that it was due to a slash from Jared Spurgeon during the five-on-three power play in the third.”
The Prospects
I think it’s time we started learning 2016 7th-round pick Otto Somppi’s name because he’s really quite good at this hockey thing. Full prspet report courtesy of Dadam @ElSeldo. [Raw Charge]
“The Greyhounds’ seemingly never-ending 28 game point streak (27-0-0-1) ended with a loss to second-overall Sarnia and then a surprising loss to last-place Flint. The Katchouk/Raddysh pairing were shut down well by opposing teams.”
Congrats to Joel Vermin for making the Swiss Men’s Olympic team! [French tweet]
Congratulations to former #SyrCrunch forward, Joel Vermin! Best of luck in your @Olympics debut with the @swissteam. #PyeongChang2018 https://t.co/PvuvYPR3ji
— Syracuse Crunch (@SyracuseCrunch) January 22, 2018
ICYMI, the Tampa Bay Lightning have called up Michael Bournival and Matthew Peca as injury replacements for a depleted Lightning roster. [Local SYR]
“Peca, 24, has played in 42 games with Syracuse this season, registering eight goals and 31 points to go along with 12 penalty minutes. The Petawawa, Ontario native leads the Crunch for points and assists (23). Peca was named to his first AHL All-Star Game at the beginning of January. The 5-foot-8, 178-pound forward has skated in 10 career NHL games, all with the Lightning last season, collecting one goal and two points.”
Forward @Stephens2727 leads the team with 14 goals on the season.
He also takes home this week’s @Toyota Player of the Week honors. pic.twitter.com/ZBWezSsQ3A
— Syracuse Crunch (@SyracuseCrunch) January 22, 2018
Syracuse Crunch forward Alex Gallant has been suspended two games for his fight against an unwilling Andrew Cherniwchan of the Utica Comets. [Utica Observer-Dispatch]
“Gallant was given 27 minutes worth of penalties for the incident, including two for instigating. Because that penalty came in the final five minutes of the third period, Gallant received a game misconduct resulting in an automatic one-game suspension under American Hockey League rules. Besides a game misconduct for the instigator penalty, he also received an aggressor game misconduct.”
The Game
Do you want to know about the changes — also known as improvements for the optimists reading — that are coming to the NHL All-Star Skills Competition? Of course you do! [NBC Sports]
“The clock stops when the player has successfully hit all five targets, the player that hits all five targets in the fastest time will be crowned the winner of the Honda NHL Accuracy Shooting™. If there is a tie for the fastest time, the tied players will compete again to determine the winner.”
Goalie racing!
The NHL has released their midterm Prospect Rankings for the 2018 NHL Draft. Question for the comments, who will the Lightning be picking when they select 31st overall? [NHL dot com]
Rasmus Dahlin and Andrei Svechnikov top #NHL Central Scouting’s mid-term prospect rankings https://t.co/o3NdzpoH76 #TSNHockey #DraftCentre pic.twitter.com/FeSTjuP7ev
— TSN Hockey (@TSNHockey) January 22, 2018
Seven years after playing his last game, Marc Savard has officially retired from the NHL. [Yahoo Sports]
“Savard effectively had his career ended by a nasty head shot delivered by Penguins cheap shot artist Matt Cooke in the spring of 2010, but came back to play 25 games in 2010-11 for Boston the following season.
A Matt Hunwick hit delivered afterwards in Colorado was the final blow.”
Highlight of the Night: Lacrosse goal alert!!! Graeme Clarke of the Ottawa 67’s actually did it.
