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Quick Strikes: Ryan McDonagh injured, Peter Budaj to Syracuse on conditioning stint

The Stoneman Douglas hockey team get to hoist the Stanley Cup.

The Bolts

Fresh bodies Ryan McDonagh and J.T. Miller have had a week to settle into the Tampa Bay Lightning dressing room. Let’s have a look at their their numbers and what they can give to Tampa Bay moving forward. [Raw Charge]

The options are many but the most likely partner for McDonagh seems like either his old buddy Dan Girardi or Anton Stralman. If the coaches put Stralman on the top pair, it will likely be Girardi. But they could also try bringing Jake Dotchin back to the first pair, playing Stralman with McDonagh, and Girardi on the third pair with Sergachev. That last option would offer more balance while the first is a more traditional arrangement.

Speaking of McDonagh, the former captain of the Rangers spoke with the media after a practice where he wore a red no-contact jersey and sported a taped up right hand. Joe Smith reports that the team is being conservative but there’s a good chance he makes his debut against his former team on Thursday.

Victor Hedman SHOULD be the Norris favorite, but the politics of the media are preventing him from being it. [The Hockey News]

It appears increasingly likely that the Lightning will also be making room in their trophy case to celebrate defenseman Victor Hedman’s Norris Trophy win. A mid-season runner-up on most lists, including ours at THN, Hedman’s case has only gotten stronger as the season has worn on.

You’re a good man, Dan Girardi.

20-year-old Anthony Cirelli isn’t just on the Lightning roster now, he’s making an impact. [NHL dot com]

The 20-year-old left shot rookie center flew past 2018 NHL All-Star John Klingberg to create a sliver of separation in the left circle. Rather than aiming for the far post where more of the net was available, Cirelli saw some space between Stars goalie Ben Bishop and the near post and fired a wrist shot from the left dot with pinpoint accuracy into the opening for a goal in his NHL debut.

After it was reported two weeks ago that Peter Budaj was practicing with the Syracuse Crunch, the veteren goaltender has officially been officially given a conditioning stint with the AHL affiliate Crunch. As always, Steve Yzerman’s group is being intentionally vague with the details.

Louis Domingue’s hockey birthday story is really sweet and fun to read. [Tampa Bay Times]

When Domingue turned 9, he had a bunch of friends over for a sleepover. His mother, Brigitte, usually made 30 cupcakes, enough for each NHL’s teams logo. Domingue would pretend to be the GM, and sign each of his friends to a million dollar contract. They’d take a picture shaking hands, cupcake in tow.

The Prospects

ECHL update: The boys of Adirondack FINALLY get to sleep in their own beds for a change. [Raw Charge]

The Adirondack Thunder had a huge beginning for their month of March: a two game road series in New Hampshire against a team they had been chasing for first place in the North Division for a majority of the season, the Manchester Monarchs.

Thanks to a fresh-out-of-college goaltender and major production from the latest top offensive line, the Thunder pulled off a two game sweep. They were awarded with the top spot in the division standings...for a few hours anyway.

The Syracuse Crunch used their day off to start a side business; waiting tables at charity silent auctions!

You’re going to love the karaoke that happened a few hours later.

Okay there, Alex Gallant. We see you!

These boys sure love to sing.

It’s only 8pm!

Hockey requires a certain degree of hand-eye coordination. And whatever Connor Ingram has.

When he says “why are you caked in makeup?”

The final Karaoke battle! In other news, Daniel Walcott is my new fav.

The Game

The Buffalo Sabres beat yet another team who is high up the Atlantic Division standings. We are not alone, Bolts fans. [Pension Plan Puppets]

Frederik Andersen gave up five goals on 24 shots, that’s bad enough for a .792 save percentage. However, if you look at each individual goal, Freddy got every bad bounce imaginable. Deflection. Double deflection. Deflection off a toe. Deflection off a referee. Goalie interference.

“Marjory Stoneman Douglas hockey team gets to lift Stanley Cup” Need I say more? [NBC Sports]

The Stoneman Douglas hockey team was practicing at the BB&T Center, home of the NHL’s Florida Panthers, on Monday afternoon as they prepared for the USA High School hockey national championship tournament in Plymouth, Minnesota later this month. The other big surprise for the Stoneman Douglas hockey team on Monday was the word that the Panthers, along with airline Swift Air, are going to work together to fly the team to the national tournament.

Highlight of the Night: watching Kris Russell earn $4 million.

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