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Quick Strikes: Shayne Gostisbehere invites Marjory Stoneman Douglas hockey team to Panthers game

Posted on by Acha

The Game

Sometimes there’s news that’s important in a league-wide way, and today it’s this. After surviving a horrific shooting, the Marjory Stoneman Douglas hockey team went on to win the state title, despite one of the players having lost his sister. Shayne Gostisbehere, who attended this school, reached out to the team to have them attend the Panthers game and meet him afterwards. Hockey players with heart! [Philly.com]

Flyers’ Shayne Gostisbehere invites his alma mater, Marjory Stoneman Douglas’ hockey team to Panthers game. “Gostisbehere is going home this weekend for the first time since the horrific Feb. 14 shooting claimed 17 lives. The Flyers will play afternoon games in Tampa on Saturday and in Sunrise, Fla., against the Panthers on Sunday, and he has invited his hometown team to come to the game and meet him beforehand.”

And just in case you haven’t seen it yet, here is Roberto Luongo’s reaction to the shooting in his neighborhood:

Our divisional foes are playing outside today. “On Saturday, the Maple Leafs play the Washington Capitals outside on a temporary ice rink in a football stadium. As is usual for outdoor games played in warmer climates or later in the season, it’s a night game. It has an 8 p.m. start time, but given how these things go, we know the puck won’t hit ice until much later than that.” [Pension Plan Puppets]

Former  Blackhawk Daniel Carcillo takes NHL  to task on concussions. In one tweet, Carcillo said the NHL is “very much a fear-based league. Walk on eggshells, don’t dare ask questions and god forbid you don’t agree with how you’re being treated.” [Chicago Tribune]

The Bolts

Tomorrow, Sunday, March 4, is the sixth-annual Hockey Day in Tampa Bay. “The full-day event will kick off at 9 a.m. with a Chase Lightning Made Street Hockey Tournament outdoors in the Silver Lot and on Ford Thunder Alley. The tournament will run until 4 p.m.” [Patch.com]

Also, there will be 25th anniversary with limited edition coke bottles. “The special bottle of coca-cola will be unveiled on March 4, during the annual hockey weekend at Amalie Arena.” [WFLA]

Signing Alex Barré-Boulet is a small but smart move to add prospect depth. [Raw Charge]

But drafting smart alone is not enough to maintain a pipeline for a competitive team. The Lightning, like most competitive teams as mentioned above, have at times found themselves short of draft picks. And that’s where we come back to the signing of Barré-Boulet. Using a contract slot on a player like him is a perfect low risk gamble for a team with limited access to prospects through the draft.

Bovada issued their most recent odds, and have the Golden Knights and Tampa Bay Lightning as 23/4 co-favorites for winning the Stanley Cup. “But the Golden Knights have hardly stumbled like a expansion team, winning 41 of 63 games to power to the top of the Pacific Division and rank among the top teams in the Western Conference all year long. Here is the real stunner: Bovada now has Vegas as a co-favorite to win the Cup. Yes. Win the Cup.” [Forbes]

What is Ryan McDonagh’s impact on the Lightning blueline? “GM Steve Yzerman said he planned to carry nine defensemen for the time being; McDonagh (upper body) hopes to play by next Tuesday. With no roster limits after the deadline, Tampa Bay can keep all nine, with the likes of Koekkoek, Dotchin and Andrej Sustr likely playing mostly when the team goes with seven defensemen. Injuries happen, so it’s not bad to have insurance.” [TBO.com]

Lightning give Stanley Cup jersey to George W Bush. “Due to the NHL lockout back in 2004-05, the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Stanley Cup win in 2003-04 was somewhat halted. The team was supposed to go to the White House — as teams who win championships typically do — but never made it.” [Fanragsports]

Have you taken our poll yet? This week’s Tampa Bay Lightning fan poll: Who won this year’s Tradely Cup? [Raw Charge]

The Prospects

Comeback Kids: Syracuse Crunch erase 2-goal deficit, take down Binghamton Devils. “The Syracuse Crunch picked up an improbable victory Friday night, erasing a 2-goal deficit in the third period to win, 3-2.” [CYN Central]

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Talking Points