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Quick Strikes: Tampa Bay Lightning not happy after dropping five of seven

Jonne Tammela has two goals in six games as a 20-year-old AHLer

The Bolts

Brayden Point scored two but it was not nearly enough as the Tampa Bay Lightning fell to the Minnesota Wild 5-2 on Saturday night. [Raw Charge]

“Point was one of the few Lightning players that competed all sixty minutes. He scored both goals and had several other chances. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him on the top line in the Lightning’s next game. With 19 goals and 43 points he has eclipsed his totals from last season.”

The Tampa Bay Lightning have now lost five of their last seven games. Here’s what the players had to say. [Tampa Bay Times]

“We’re just out of sync, it’s unreal,” Cooper said. “The guys didn’t forget how to play hockey in the last week and a half. We’re just out of synch. One guy zigs, the other guy zags. It’s crazy that in the last week and a half, we kind of lost our swag.”

Alex Killorn.

“This is just a tough moment for us,” wing Alex Killorn said. “It’s not for a lack of effort. We’re out there working hard, it’s just a matter of working a little bit smarter.”

Andrei Vasilevskiy: “I have to be better.” [Tampa Bay Times]

““Just because I won a couple games in the first half of the season, it doesn’t mean I’ll win the same amount of games this second half. Nothing has changed. I’ll keep on working. We’ll see what’s going to happen in the second  half, but I’ve got to be better, that’s the bottom line.”

How has Mikhail Sergachev fared now that he’s been thrown into the deep end with Victor Hedman out? [Tampa Bay Times]

“Look, don’t look at me anymore asking, ‘Should I change?’ You’ve got to get past this. You’ve got to learn how to play against better players. We’ll live with the mistakes and live with whatever happens. But you’ve got to get past this.” - Rick Bowness to Mikhail Sergachev.

I’m on a float!

The Prospects

Jonne Tammela got another goal, his second in the AHL, but it wasn’t enough as the Syraccuse Crunch lost their third in a row, this one to the Utica Comets, 4-2. [Syracuse]

“The loss puts the Crunch on a three-game skid and moves the team to 24-14-2-2 on the season. Syracuse is 3-3-0-0 in the 12-game season series against Utica.

“Connor Ingram stopped 18-of-22 shots in net for the Crunch before being relieved by Nick Riopel to start the third period. Riopel went on to turn aside both shots he faced.”

Crunch goalie coach Karl Goehring spoke before the game about the pacce of play and his goaltenders, worth a listen.

Cal Foote had a two-point night for Kelowna in the Rockets’ 8-4 beating of Victoria on Saturday. [Bolt Prospects]

“Cal Foote and Dillon Dube (CGY, 2016 2nd round pick) worked together to score two 1st period goals and helped give the Rockets an early 3-0 lead, and Kelowna never trailed. Jack Cowell (undrafted) tallied two goals, and Kole Lind (VAN, 2017 2nd round pick) had 4 points to pace the Rockets.”

The Game

Great moment as Make-a-Wish reccipient Hayden Bradley was able to face off against Sidney Crosby for the ceremonial pucck drop. He won the draw too!

Should St. Louis Blues GM Doug Armstrong be making moves or nah? [St. Louis Game Time]

“Look, in the interest of full disclosure, I genuinely think Armstrong needs to go get a forward. Playing devil’s advocate here is particularly painful, especially for me. I love trades, and a busy deadline day is better than Christmas, but Armstrong has plenty of good reasons to be hesitant about making a move.”

22-year-old New Jersey Devils rookie Ken Appleby made his NHL debut Saturday afternoon, stopping all 24 shots he faced in a 3-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers. [New Jersey]

“It’s not really ideal, but it ended up working out tonight,” Appleby said. “I felt good in there. A little nervous off the start, but once I started getting some shots I felt good.”

Good emoji name.

Don’t look now but the Colorado Avalanche have now won nine in a row. [Mile High Hockey]

“The looming question is how they will work in some injured players when they return in short order. Tyson Barrie, Semyon Varlamov and Sven Andrighetto could return as early as next week’s trip or after all-star weekend... Adding good players to an already good thing seems like an obvious no brainier but perhaps their roles should be managed a bit more carefully upon return.”

Switch to night vision!

Highlight of the Night: Edge-work on full display for this goal. Jake Gardiner shimmy’s his defender, opening himself up to make a pass right to Mitchell Marner who finishes the play with a slick toe-drag.

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