The Bolts
There are 99 jersey options a hockey play can pick (100 if you include zero). so the question can be asked, who is the greatesrt Tampa Bay Lightning player to wear each number? Justin kicks us off with 0-5. [Raw Charge]
To this day, no player has donned the number 0 in an official game for the Tampa Bay Lightning. Sadly, due to the NHL not allowing players to wear “0” or “00” it looks like no one ever will. According to an ESPN article, the league does not allow that number because it messes with their database systems. That seems like a glitch that could be fixed. Personally, I wouldn’t mind seeing a goaltender making saves with a big ol’ goose egg on the back of his sweater.
The Prospects
The media correspondants for the Syracuse Crunch got together for their annual summer street hockey game. This year, Team Axe defeated Team Tamurian by a score of 11-8! [Syracuse Crunch]
The Syracuse Crunch’s annual Summer Street Crunch series are street hockey games open to all kids between the ages of 5-14. Games are held on four Saturdays in July and August. Two teams compete against each other in hour-long games. Helmets, sticks and sneakers (no skates) are required. All games are held at 9 a.m. outside the War Memorial Arena on Montgomery Street.
T-minus 19.5 hours… pic.twitter.com/E56d9KZQbx
— Jim Sarosy (@JimSarosy) August 10, 2018
Here. We. Go. #TeamTamurian @SyracuseCrunch #StreetCrunch pic.twitter.com/hyxC8BAQ6A
— Niko Tamurian (@NikoTamurian) August 11, 2018
The moments that keep you coming back! Silver lining to a loss, scoring a goal to help the cause. Thanks @SyracuseCrunch for another awesome time! @CNYcentral pic.twitter.com/sAUua95H3Y
— Niko Tamurian (@NikoTamurian) August 11, 2018
The #StreetCrunch trophy is back with #TeamAxe. 🏆 pic.twitter.com/yXe3shYTF3
— Syracuse Crunch (@SyracuseCrunch) August 11, 2018
Hats off to Team @BrentAxeMedia for holding off a furious #TeamTamurian rally. From down 7 to down 2, I’m so proud of the effort. #TeamAxe wins 11-8. In a class move, Brent is donating his winnings to @WayneStormWatch‘s Priscilla Mahar Animal Welfare Foundation @CNYcentral pic.twitter.com/7PGSfDGkdn
— Niko Tamurian (@NikoTamurian) August 11, 2018
Sunday Connorisms
Welcome to a new feature in the QS! Sunday Connorisms is a name that was brillianted imagined and generously donated to this series by ECHL extraordinaire Tracey Lake!
I really hope Connor didn’t put on a funny accent to help further drive home the foreigner point.
The best part about living away is being able to make risky driving decisions and blaming it on my foreign plate
— Connor Ingram (@CBIngram1) August 12, 2018
The Game
What did I say yesterday? I said, “stay in school, kids.” Well, it turns out Brady Tkachuk didn’t listen to me and will forego Boston University and sign an entry-level contract with the Ottawa Senators! [Sports Illustrated]
The Senators will give the 6-foot-3 forward a chance to claim a left-wing spot on the opening-day roster—a position where the team lacks punch—though the organization’s current state of disarray could lead to Tkachuk spending the season with the London Knights, the OHL team that holds his rights, or the AHL’s Belleville Senators. Should he skate in 10 games with the big club, he’ll burn a year off his entry-level contract and inch closer to RFA status.
After a controversial win over the United States, in the semi-finals. Canada moved on to beat Sweden in the gold medal game and claim victory in the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup. This tournament was the first chance scouts and fans got to see the newest crop of NHL draft prospects, and creates a benchmark for all the player’s draft stock before the season starts. [TSN]
Canada has captured yet another gold medal at the under-18 level.
Sasha Mutala and Alexis Lafreniere each had a pair of goals as Canada defeated Sweden 6-2 in the final of the Hlinka Gretzky Cup on Saturday night.
Kirby Dach and Josh Williams also scored for Canada, which has now won the tournament 10 of the last 11 years, and has earned gold 22 times in the event’s 28-year history.
Marc-Andre Fleury “doesn’t pay attention to what other people think,” and why should he, he’s on a great team in a great market. So what if the expectations are raised. [Sportsnet]
“As a player, if your goal isn’t to continually improve, I wonder what you’re doing in this sport,” Jonathan Marchessault told Laflamme. “We can talk about all the things we’ve accomplished, but that changes absolutely nothing. We need to roll up our sleeves and get back to work. If you’re happy just to be in first place on Dec. 1, you’re not going to stay there too long.
Time to change the playoffs format in the NHL? Pensburgh investigates. [Pensburgh]
On the other hand, it shoehorns tough matchups early. 2017 was a perfect example. Pittsburgh had the 2nd best record in the entire league, but Washington had the best. And Columbus was 4th in the whole then-30 team league. So the Penguins had to take on CBJ in the first round. They won and then they faced the #1 team in the Capitals in the second round. That’s a ridiculously tough path to take.
