Sick hands.

Joseph has 8 points in 6 games and is playing on Ottawa's top line. He also had the most TOI for Sens forwards today..

Standard

Barre-Boulet is the Crunch's top forward in +/- and is about to become their leading scorer with 17 less games played than their current leader (Dumont).

This is just a random reminder not to write BB off yet. He's more engaged and better defensively than ever this season in Syracuse.

I'd also say he's equally as dangerous on the LW as the RW now too.

I wasn't going to complain about the last game being on NHL Network, but 2 in a row? You gotta be kidding me

Kuuuuuuuuuuuch.

Rutta with the backhand of death!

Personally saw to a massive L

Can we just fly @Rangsey in for every game? Isn't he 10-0 when seeing the Bolts in person or something like that?

It's a sacrifice I'm willing to make.

10-0-0 after they won in Seattle.

Vasy and stopping the puck now seems to be optional

Trending in the wrong direction at the wrong time.

Side not, is Pally pricing himself into a job? Early this year there was no way he comes back. But now, maybe they can afford him?

I'm signing Paul over Palat regardless

Looks like we might get a slight schedule reprieve after Boston. Games against Preds, Leafs, and cats should be only remaining tough ones.

Lightning are a skating L lately but....

Frozen Four semis are on today:
Guttman/Webster (Denver) vs. Duke (Mich) @ 5pm EST
Walker (Minn) vs. Minnesota St @ 8:30pm EST

we'll have at least one prospect in the championship game

Good article on the rough past month: https://www.nhl.com/news/tampa-bay-lightning-fighting-through-adversity-as-playoffs-approach/c-332727458?tid=277548856

That man Jo❗️#GoSensGo pic.twitter.com/4gaIFM49NI

— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) April 8, 2022

Joseph finished a breakaway...

And there you have it.

I really like Joseph, but at this point I'm not even sure if I'm happy or mad.


Like honestly. What does playing on the 1st line have to do with scoring a 1 on 0?

Bolts prospects Cole Guttman and McKade Webster are on their way to the national championship game vs. Minnesota State on Saturday.

Dylan Duke and Michigan fell to Denver.
We're on Sammy Walker watch after Minnesota fell to Minn St.

The thing that makes it ok Paul has been one of our best players since the trade. Looks very much like a win win.

I prefer win-loses

We sent a bag of junk to the Rangers for McDonagh and Miller

But I really am happy for Joseph. Hopefully he secures the bag.

I'm going to circle back on this and say I wouldn't be surprised if we don't sign him.

I've noticed, and Gophers fans on twitter have too, that Walker is like a ghost in their biggest games. Even the broadcast noted last night that they wanted to see more desperation in what could have been his last college game.

If I'm thinking managerial about organizing the Crunch next season at center, I'd want at least 1 vet and assume Finley is a lock somewhere. Then there's Somppi, Guttman, and Walker. Somppi is marginally the same age as the 2 college players with proven AHL ability, so I'd keep him. And now watching these recent games there is much more to like about Guttman than Walker.
(edit: forgot we also signed Usau, so add that as another factor)

I wouldn't think Walker signs with us with a decent likelihood of ECHL assignment next season. I could be wrong but I'm going to guess we stay away.

The Killorn-Cirelli-Hagel line is interesting.
Not sure if we'll keep it this year, but it could be the way to go next season.

OK, thoughts after last night.

I don't know what to do at this point. Losing to a Bruins team missing Pastrnak (AND Hampus Lindholm to boot) in a regular-season game of that magnitude is seriously concerning. Also, against the Bruins, Leafs and Panthers this year, the Lightning are a combined 3-5-2. Needless to say, NOT good.

It never clicks together in one game-if the offense is firing, the D is abysmal, if the D is shutting it down, the offense can't buy a goal. Contrary to popular belief, Vasi is not superhuman, and can only do so much.

They've been bad at the absolute worst time of the regular season, now having sunk to the 1st wild card, which would almost definitely mean starting off in Carolina. If they can climb past the Bruins down the stretch, they'll still probably open up in Toronto, as if the Leafs beat the Habs tonight, they'll be 6 up on the Lightning with 11 games left (for the latter). Not ideal with the way the Leafs and Matthews have been playing of late, even with their playoff history.

In short: THEY NEED TO FIGURE IT OUT, FAST. The talent is there, the urgency is there, the quality of play is not. Tomorrow against the Sabres is a HUGE opportunity to right the ship, and cannot be let go to waste.

3 in a row is almost unheard of. With the talent on this team, it's definitely possible. The way they're playing right now, it's definitely not.

They need to figure it out. They can. But they're running out of time.