Lightning return from Olympic Break
TAMPA, Fla - The Bolts are finally back on the ice after a nearly three-week break.
"It's good for guys to get healthy, good for guys to spend time with their family, rest and recover," said defenseman Ryan McDonagh. "But, ultimately, we're excited about a start of this year, and we keep building on that."
Despite the Olympic break now in the Bolts' rearview mirror, the first best-on-best men's hockey tournament in more than a decade is still a topic of conversation around the dressing room.
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What they're saying:
"You can't help but be entertained by that kind of hockey," McDonagh said. "The real thought that comes into your head is why did it take so long to get back to the Olympics best-on-best?"
With most Bolts Olympians now back and practicing with the team, players were able to swap stories and relive their chance to play against their Lightning teammates on the world stage.
"Usually, you're cheering for them, and now you're trying to take away all things that make them good," defenseman JJ Moser remembers thinking as he played for Team Switzerland in Milan.
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What's next:
After nearly three weeks between NHL games, the Bolts return to play Wednesday night when they host the Toronto Maple Leafs.
By the numbers:
Prior to the Olympic break, the Lightning were 19-1-1 in their last 21 games.
"We put ourselves in a great spot with the way we played and the kind of consistency we've had," said defenseman Victor Hedman.
Despite the Olympic break interrupting the Bolts' hot streak, they are confident their culture will carry beyond their time off and into the final stretch of the season.
"We've built a culture that is built on consistency, and that's not going to change whether we had a break or not," Moser said.
So, while the Olympics delivered a break for some in this locker room, a break is something the Lightning aren't ready to hand out to anyone else for the rest of the season.
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"We've given ourselves a good chance to make the playoffs here," McDonagh said. "It's about keep getting two points, keep playing the right way and building confidence."
That confidence makes a return when the Lightning host the Maple Leafs on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered during interviews with players for the Tampa Bay Lightning.