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Quick Strikes: Syracuse Crunch to play the Toronto Marlies in round two

Last time they met was last year, Crunch won in 7.

The Bolts

Jon Cooper says that the Tampa Bay Lightning need to increase their intensity. [Tampa Bay Times]

“I bet you all five games in the (first-round series against the Devils) we had more intensity than we had in Game 1 (Saturday), and it’s not going to get it done,” coach Jon Cooper said after practice. “With every round, you have to elevate your game, your intensity, everything, and we didn’t. Took a step back. A really good team showed us what happens when you do that.”

Brayden Point and Ondrej Palat missed practice on Sunday due to body maintenance. Without those two dressed, the lineup would look extremely weak. [Tampa Bay Times]

Point and Palat are expected to play Monday night in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinal against the Bruins. Coach Jon Cooper kept his forward lines the same Sunday, which is a strong indication that he will not change the lineup and will continue to keep the Point line on the Bruins’ top line of Patrice Bergeron, David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand.

Steven Stamkos looks to the other series’ of the playoffs for guidance in what the team needs to do to rebound after a Game 1 loss. [NHL dot com]

“You lose that game in triple overtime 1-0 or you lose 6-2, it’s 1-0 for (the Bruins),” Lightning captain Steven Stamkos said following the Bolts’ practice session Sunday at the Ice Sports Forum. ‘Perfect example is the San Jose - Vegas series. 7-0 Vegas wins (Game 1), (The Sharks) win the next game. Our mindset is we win the next game, we’ll tie the series up and we’ll go from there.”

Happy birthday, Dan Girardi!

The Prospects

The Syracuse Crunch will be playing the Toronto Marlies in the second round of the Calder Cup Playoffs after Toronto beat the Utica Crunch 4-0 on the backs of their two recently sent down leaders Travis Dermott and Andreas Johnsson.

This means that for the second straight year, the Crunch will be meeting the Marlies in the second round. Last year when these teams met, the Crunch won the series in seven games with all the wins coming at home. This time, the Marlies will have home-ice. [CNY Central]

Toronto enters the upcoming series as the top seed in the North Division, earning home ice advantage throughout.

The Marlies got the better of the Crunch during the regular season series, earning the most points of any team in the American Hockey League.

Here is the schedule for the next 13 days.

Taylor Raddysh, Boris Katchouk, and the Soo Greyhounds are heading for another game 7 after an overtime loss in game 6 to the Kitchener Rangers. The last game is tonight at home in Sault Ste. Marie!

The Blainville-Boisbriand Armada also lost their game 6 in heart-breaking fashion in overtime. Alex Barré-Boulet with points on the only two goals the Armada would score. [Bolt Prospects]

Cameron Askew (undrafted) scored a power play OT game-winner for Charlottetown, forcing a Game 7 Tuesday night back in Boisbriand. The Islanders led after the 1st period on a Brett Budgell (2019 draft eligible) power play marker. Lightning prospect Alex Barré-Boulet scored a power play goal of his own early in the 2nd period to knot the score, and then assisted on an Alexandre Alain (undrafted) power play goal later in the period. But the Armada failed to hold the 2-1 lead, surrendering a late 3rd period tally by Nikita Alexandrov (2019 draft eligible) to force overtime.

The Game

A controversial goal review is the story that is coming out of the Washington Capitals’ home win over the Pittsburgh Penguins in game 2 of their series. Now they need to win one in Pittsburgh to regain home-ice advantage. [Japers Rink]

Coming off of a disastrous third period in Game One Washington needed a bounce back victory to shift momentum in their series against the Penguins before heading to Pittsburgh. And a bounce back victory is exactly what the Capitals delivered, downing the Penguins 4-1 in Game Two to knot the series at one game apiece.

NASHVILLE PREDATORS. VERSUS. WINNIPEG JETS. RIGHT INTO MY VEINS!!!! If you’re not watching this series, you are missing some of the greatest hockey you will ever get to see. It’s like St. Louis vs. Chicago, except both teams have way more skill in their lineup. Oh, and Kevin Fiala’s double overtime winner pushed the Preds to a 5-4 victory at home, tying the series at ones. [On The Forecheck]

“This is really good for us. This type of adversity, early on in the series is great for us and we found a way to win. Now we’ve got to go on the road and do what we’ve done all year, and that’s win. For us right now, we’ve just got to get some rest and get some good food, some good eats, get some good rest and get ready for the toughest road trip of the year.” - PK Subban.

Highlight of the Night: Poor Ovi. Even when the Cap win, he has to get robbed.

Just kidding, he did this earlier in the game. A perfect shot.

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