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Quick Strikes: Andrei Vasilevskiy and Louis Domingue make NHL history

Also: The Syracuse Crunch prepares for their busy season.

-Both Andrei Vasilevskiy and Louis Domingue have made history as separate members of the Tampa Bay Lightning, but now they’ve made history as a pairing, too!

-Speaking of Vasilevskiy, a fan post from Art Deco spoke to the netminder’s shootout talents.

So just how good is Vasy in the shootout? First, some perspective: coming into this season the conversion rate for shootouts over the last six seasons was 31.7%, meaning the average goalie has a shootout save percentage of .683. Vasy? Even after allowing 2 goals in 4 shots in last night’s shootout against the Kings (more on that in a bit), his career numbers in the shootout are 45 saves in 53 attempts, for a save percentage of .849. This isn’t just good - it’s the best shootout save percentage in NHL history for any goalie who’s faced 50 or more attempts in his career.

-Monday was the trade deadline, and the Lightning stood pat.

The Lightning weren’t going to make a move just to make one on Monday. For Tampa Bay to sign off on a deal, it had to be one that would make the team better and aid its Stanley Cup run. Bolts general manager Julien BriseBois, in his post-trade deadline press conference, stated that deal just wasn’t out there this season.

And he’s fully confident in the group assembled as is to get the job done.

Team captain Steven Stamkos is pretty much in agreement with that.

-It’s my Quick Strikes, so of course I have to have at least one thing about Nikita Kucherov. It’s required.

-Some might argue that the Lightning are fighting history when it comes to going all the way, but apparently not all history.

-Families in the Tampa area looking for something to do during the upcoming spring break are in luck:

-A bunch of NHL teams, including the Lightning, have had Pride/YCP/Hockey Is for Everyone games recently. Check out this tweet for some highlights!

-The Lightning are having another watch party!

-Do you want to go to a Lightning game?

-The Syracuse Crunch are heading into a packed March. The team will play 16 games during that month, starting with four games this week. As those games start coming at them, Justin has discovered that they might be well advised to really hit face-offs during practice.

The Crunch aren’t great at face-offs. Our calculations have them at 45% overall (69 for 154). Gabriel Dumont has taken the most (43) and is at 47%. Of the usual centers, Ross Colton has the lowest winning percentage (38%) while Andreoff (46%) and Brassart (47%) are in the same range as Dumont. Mitchell Stephens, taking draws mostly when his centerman has been kicked out, is a perfect five for five.

Not winning face-offs isn’t the be-all/end-all for a team like the Crunch. They still have enough skill to overcome a lost face-off, but it does make their lives a lot more difficult, especially when killing penalties.

-Their game against Binghamton last night showed an A+ reason as to why face-offs are so important!

The contest also featured Carter Verhaeghe scoring his 60th point of the season.

The game also caused many Crunch fans - including myself - to feel like they were having a mild heart attack when this tweet about goalie Eddie Pasquale came in not long after the game had started:

Crunch fans felt a little better when it was reported at the start of the second that Pasquale was sitting in the tunnel where the back up sits, fully dressed, as Connor Ingram continued to play. Post-game, it was revealed that Pasquale wasn’t feeling well, and was not injured.

At the end of the game, the team had their league-leading ninth shutout of the season as they defeated the Devils 4-0.

-With that busy schedule staring the team down, head coach Ben Groulx has his hands full getting his relatively young group to stay focused on the here and now.

-The Crunch will be Painting with a Purpose on Tuesday, March 5, as they raise money for Change for Change.

This is a Painting with a Purpose charity event. 50% of our proceeds for this class will go directly to Change for Change.  You will get the chance to paint with players from the Syracuse Crunch!

-Orlando Solar Bears fans can “wine” down with them tonight!

-Roberto Luongo of the Florida Panthers has reached an NHL milestone.

-Mark Stone got quite the welcome by the Vegas Golden Knights.

-In the flurry of deadline moves on Monday, one was missed! (insert winky emoji here)

-The CWHL Players’ Association is partnering with creative firm Sports Marketing Allstars.

According to the press release, “This partnership will give visibility to the CWHLPA, as well as offer ALL players of the CWHL a unique opportunity to grow their public image and small businesses.”

In other words, they’re going to help players with those two magic words: personal branding.

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