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Quick Strikes: the Orlando Solar Bears clinch playoff spot

Posted on by Hardev

The Bolts

A nonchalant Tampa Bay Lightning squad got out-played and beat by the Montreal Canadiens on the second half of a back-to-back. Really wish they had gotten Eddie Pasquale the win, he deserved it more than anyone else on the ice in blue. [Raw Charge]

The Tampa Bay Lightning lost 4-2 on the road to the Montreal Canadiens. The Bolts were on the second half of a back to back with travel and it showed. They barely put up any resistance. Normally, it would be easy to write off a game like this but Eddie Pasquale made only his second career start tonight and the AHL veteran put on the performance of his life. Unfortunately, the skaters weren’t able to do anything to support him and he never really had a chance.

From the previous night, a pair of Bolts showed off how special they are on the stat sheet. First, Nikita Kucherov with his points record. Second, it was another impressive multi-point night for Brayden Point.

The Prospects

The Orlando Solar Bears are heading to the Kelly Cup playoffs! [Raw Charge]

The penultimate week of the ECHL regular season had just one job for the Orlando Solar Bears: Win, and you’re in. It may have taken four games to do it, but…mission accomplished. A 2-2 week has the Solar Bears on the verge of wrapping up both second place in the ECHL’s South Division and home ice for at least the first round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs.

And some roster news with the Syracuse Crunch.

The Lightning have a couple college prospects in the system. They should deeply consider adding Adam Fox to that list. The right-shot defenseman is considered top-four calibre already and could be in the NHL as soon as next season. [Raw Charge]

While they haven’t been mentioned in the reporting yet, the Tampa Bay Lightning should at least throw their hat into the ring in the pursuit of Adam Fox. A right handed defenseman, Fox has informed the Carolina Hurricanes that he will not sign with them. He was a third round pick, 66th overall in 2016 by the Calgary Flames and was traded to Carolina in the summer of 2018.

The Game

Over the course of three days, the Canadian Women’s Hockey League (CWHL) folded and the National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL) is stepping into their Toronto and Montreal markets. All the while, the NHL sits, waiting for the best opportunity to exploit the women’s game in order to make the most money.

CWHL to cease operations

NWHL to add two Canadian teams, receives further investment from NHL

In my opinion, the movement in the landscape of the women’s game in North America (which is affecting the world) is messy, and cut-throat, and all about the money involved. The NWHL could have tried to create a deal with the CWHL but instead are essentially starting from zero in a country they are entering for the first time.

Meanwhile, the NHL talks about wanting to “grow the game”, but they’re not actually supporting women’s professional hockey in a meaningful way. They are waiting for the cheapest possible price to buy them out or hope the NWHL also folds. None of this helps the progress made in marketing the sport in the major markets, or the players, staff, and management to have jobs and get better at what they do.

Right now, the national teams are in Finland for the World Championships. They should be on TV where you are, I encourage you to watch it.

Also, Ramz is a CWHL Clarkson Cup Champion forever and no one can take that away.

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Talking Points