While the pressure is ramping up in Milan for the four teams left in the Olympic tournament, things are starting to wind back up in Tampa (well, Brandon to be exact). The Tampa Bay Lightning were back on the ice on Wednesday as practice resumed for the players not over in Italy.
It’s good to see Charle-Edouard D’Astous in a regular sweater based on some of the news from yesterday in regards to some of his blueline brothers. The team also showed photos of Anthony Cirelli on the ice, but he was decked out in a red non-contact sweater. It also seems that Nick Paul might need a little longer before he’s ready. So things are as they are.
We’re crawling closer to NHL action returning as the Lightning take to the ice in less than a week. Toronto is in town on Wednesday the 25th. Mark your calendars!
Speaking of the Olympics. The quarterfinals featured plenty of overtime action as three of the four games went to the 3-on-3 bonus session (we are not fans of that decision in the knockout stage).
Slovakia took out Germany 6-2 in the only non-overtime game. Canada survived a valiant effort from Czechia. The Finns took down Switzerland 3-2 and Quinn Hughes exorcised his ghosts with an overtime goal for the Americans over Sweden.
The semifinals are on Friday with Canada taking on Finland (10:40 am) and the United States facing Slovakia (3:10 pm).
| Player | Games | Goals | Assists | Wins | WALT |
| *J.J. Moser | 5 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| * Victor Hedman | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| *Zemgus Girgensons | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| * Wojciech Stachowiak | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Jake Guentzel | 4 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| Brandon Hagel | 4 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| * Pontus Holmberg | 5 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| *Oliver Bjorkstrand | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Erik Cernak | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
Stats via Elite Prospects. * indicates player has been eliminated WALT = Wins over Lightning Teammate
Other Hockey News
Injuries don’t take an Olympic Break [Raw Charge]
We know Crozier is out. We don’t know about Hedman. The Lightning will do what they’ve done all season and just keep going.
Injuries, Best/Worst Trades, Travel Tips [Backchecking the Bolts]
We talk about the injuries and how it affects the Lightning’s plans. Then we delve into some of the best and worst trades in the Pre-Yzerman Era of the Lightning. We finish it up with some Texas travel talk. Available on Youtube and all podcast providers.
Brayden Point aims to return when Lightning resume play [Tampa Bay Times]
What? Positive injury news? In this economy? Yes, Lightning fans, there can be good news when it comes to injuries. It looks like Point is trying to get back in competitive action next week. The team could really use him in the line-up.
Petr Mrazek out for the remainder of the season [Anaheim Ducks]
The Ducks are still in a playoff spot as they cling to the second Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. Their path to the playoffs just got a little harder as Mrazek’s season comes to an end. They’ll have to lean even heavier on Olympian Lukas Dostal if they want to make it to the postseason for the first time since 2018.
Standouts from the WHL Prospects Game [Daily FaceOff]
For all of you prospect watchers out there, some notes on the WHL’s inaugural prospects match-up.
Canada vs. United States Preview [The Ice Garden]
Later today, another chapter in the USA vs. Canada book will be written in women’s hockey. The US should have the upper hand, but weird things happen when these two teams get together. The puck drops at 1:10 EST.
