And on to the Calder Cup Playoffs. The Bolts The Tampa Bay Lightning will be having their final media availability and locker clean out day tomorrow morning at 11:00 am ET. Hopefully questions regarding what happened and what is going to happen will be answered by the players, coaching staff, and GM Julien BriseBois. If anyone hates themselves enough to keep reading about the first-round series against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Geo wrote a “Day After” article that you might enjoy. It’s cathartic. [Raw Charge] I don’t really know that I have much more to say. The Lightning put themselves in an early hole allowing two goals in the first four minutes and were behind the eight ball all night, and all series really following the first period of game one. Give it to the Columbus Blue Jackets. They came up with a game plan to counter the Lightning and they executed it in all four games. The Lightning couldn’t overcome that plan, that effort, that execution. Continuing on the self loathing theme, CBS wrote about other historic regular season teams and their catastrophic failures in the playoffs. Maybe it’ll be of comfort. [CBS Sports] The Lightning aren’t the first NHL team to flame out after dominating the regular season. The Presidents’ Trophy winner has not won the Stanley Cup since the 2013 Blackhawks. Four teams have lost in the second round of the playoffs since then, but the Lightning are the first Presidents’ Trophy winner to get bounced in the first round. The Prospects The Syracuse Crunch and the Columbus’ AHL affiliate Cleveland Monsters begin their five-game series on Friday night in New York. Here’s a good article on how the NHL series result might affect the AHL playoffs. [Syracuse] Both Gaunce and Rutta were with the Lightning and were the only two players eligible to come back to Syracuse. Rutta would have required waivers to return but Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois said on Wednesday that Rutta will not be put through that process. It’s possible that Rutta plays for his native Czech Republic in the upcoming World Championships. And in case you missed it, the AHL Calder Cup Playoffs have technically started out west, but the majority of the teams will begin play on Friday. It isn’t too late to fill out your bracket! Preview the opening night of the 2019 #CalderCup Playoffs with today's #AHLMorningSkate ? https://t.co/nPVOPnnvIQ pic.twitter.com/25BudhRiau— AHL Communications (@AHLPR) April 17, 2019 In terms of prospects, Seldo has a potential goalie the Lightning might like to pick up this summer. [Raw Charge] To admit my bias right off the bat, I live in St. Catharines, within walking distance of the IceDogs arena, and am a giant homer when it comes to OHL hockey. Dhillon is probably one of, if not the best goalies the team has had and it’s a shame he hasn’t been signed to a team yet. Dhillon has had his time with NHL teams; he’s attended rookie/development camps for the St. Louis Blues, Montreal Canadiens, Detroit Red Wings, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Boston Bruins, and found some great moments from those camps. The Kelly Cup playoffs are also well under way! The Bears are up 2-1 against the South Carolina Stingrays in their seven-game series. "I think we've found that chemistry, and it's really starting to click these last few games." — Tayler Thompson on playing with Dylan FitzeThe pair both factored into Orlando's Game 2 win and look to bring plenty of energy tonight for the Solar Bears in Game 3. pic.twitter.com/LKS3eq7ubq— Orlando Solar Bears (@OrlandoHockey) April 17, 2019 The Game NHL Awards nominees are starting to be announced. We’ll have one a day for the next few weeks. Starting off, the Selke voting. Patrice Bergeron (@NHLBruins), Ryan O'Reilly (@StLouisBlues) and Mark Stone (@GoldenKnights) voted 2018-19 Frank J. Selke Trophy finalists. https://t.co/MIiSfRk4BX #NHLAwards pic.twitter.com/KzIWOVH12G— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) April 17, 2019 The Maple Leafs dropped Game 4 to the Boston Bruins, evening the series at two. This is going to go seven, right? [Pension Plan Puppets] The Toronto Maple Leafs outshot the Boston Bruins 42-31, they won the Corsi battle 70-43, they did everything right. Except shut down the Bruins first line. David Pastrnak scored twice, and Brad Marchand had three primary points (1g, 2a) in a 6-4, gut-wrenching Game 4 loss at Scotiabank Arena. Over in the west, the Colorado Avalanche are one game away from upsetting the 1 seed in the Western Conference, the Calgary Flames. Their 3-2 overtime home victory was extremely entertaining to watch. MIKKO RANTANENWE SAIDMIKKO RANTANEN#GoAvsGo #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/lLzbyTRye0— x- Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) April 18, 2019 3-1 #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/5ktyQYZnC3— x - Mile High Hockey (@MileHighHockey) April 18, 2019

A plan for expanding and building three toll roads on the western side of Florida was put on hold by its sponsor Wednesday, as Democrats were set to push for more specifics on the environmental and land-use impacts. Sen. Tom Lee, a Thonotosassa Republican who is carrying the proposal (SB 7068), said he continues to massage the controversial measure. The plan, a priority of Senate President Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, is now expected to be taken up Tuesday by the full Senate. “I think we’ve got…

::Fire Emoji:: The hits keep on coming! Rays sent out Ryne “The Opener” Stanek against David “Technically Not the Opener” Hess. Let's get another series win. https://t.co/6cUOzCnRjA #RaysUp pic.twitter.com/IxhhvOEW8j— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) April 17, 2019 We also had the lovely pleasure of having Willy Adames being mic’d up: Mic'd Up Willy Adames ?: "That's the ballgame." -@willya02 warms up his swing during BP. ?#RaysUp #MLB pic.twitter.com/JMo4mfCowg— FOX Sports Florida (@FOXSportsFL) April 17, 2019 Can he be mic’d up every game? Rays would get things started in of course, the bottom of the 1st when the Austin “Exit Velocity” Meadows hit a screamer of a single at 115 MPH. That would be a common theme throughout the game as the Rays S M O K E D the ball all night. This...is good?#RaysUp pic.twitter.com/f1mmlgquSZ— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) April 18, 2019 Ji-Man Choi would work a single, and the Rays quickly had 2 on with 2 out and Brandon Lowe up to the plate. .@Sweet_n_Lowe5 DEMOLISHES a 3-run home run at the Trop! #RaysUp 3-0 #MLBCatch the @RaysBaseball game LIVE now on FOX Sports Sun l FOX Sports Go pic.twitter.com/MnF0upwHf2— FOX Sports Florida (@FOXSportsFL) April 17, 2019 Poor Hess even knew it was out as soon as it left the bat. Statcast had that HR at 409 ft, and off the bat at 110 MPH. Exit Velocity would be the theme of the night as multiple Rays’ had EV of 100 MPH + #Rays outfielder Kevin Kiermaier was shocked when told the team had 17 balls with an exit velo of 100+ mph on Wednesday: "That seems fake, that’s so stupid, to be honest. Wow, that’s incredible."— Juan Toribio (@juanctoribio) April 18, 2019 Stanek would have a solid opening, striking out the side and then giving way to Yonny Chirinos. Your browser does not support HTML5 video. Yonny Chirinos finally had a great “bulk” outing and posted 5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB and 5 Ks #Rays Yonny Chirinos 2019 Pitch Quality5.57 QOPA (Top 1% MLB)Vertical Break (Top 1% MLB)Low Rise (Top 2% MLB)Horizontal Break (Top 12% MLB)Velocity (Top 21% MLB)@stevecarney @juanctoribio @JCTSports @neilsolondz @jasoncollette @Steve_Kinsella1 @Mat_Germain_ @draysbay pic.twitter.com/2Qe7TjIfft— MLB Quality of Pitch (@qopbaseball) April 18, 2019 He kept O’s hitters off beat all night while the Rays brought the lumber. Your browser does not support HTML5 video. For those wondering like I was, that Yandy Diaz HR had a launch angle of 20 degrees. Home Runs are sexy, but all the runs didn’t come via the HR. Mike Zunino, who is hitting .286/.286/.571 over his last 14 PA, also helped with an RBI single of his own. A single by Kevin Kiermaier, and a Yandy Diaz double, would give the Rays their 8 runs for the night. Pitching was very solid overall. After Yonny, Wilmer Font would come in and look...OK. He pitch for 2 innings, and only had 1 H, 1 R, 1 BB and 4 Ks with that hit being a HR to Rio Ruiz, but almost every batter had a full count. Font leaves after 2 innings, allowing a home run and approximately 700 full counts, but he collected a few strikeouts.The Font-O-Meter stands at "Arial." pic.twitter.com/MW9MfGLVlK— DRaysBay (@draysbay) April 18, 2019 We did get our first view of Emilo Pagan in the 9th, who was called up after the Rays placed Blake Snell on the 10 day DL, and was able to coerce a pop out, groundout and his 1st Rays’ strikeout was to...Rio Ruiz to end the game. 6?? straight series wins for the @RaysBaseball! Tampa Bay Rays (14-4) first in the AL East) Catch the @RaysBaseball this season on FOX Sports Sun l FOX Sports Go. pic.twitter.com/Kiw0UqbRRs— FOX Sports Florida (@FOXSportsFL) April 18, 2019 That would be your ball game. Rays win 8-1, are 14-4 to start the season, and have won their 6th series in a row. Other side notes: Tommy Pham did NOT get on base and ends his franchise record streak at 48 games. During the streak, Pham posted a .346/.450/.593 good for a 186 wRC+. He did have 2 hard hit balls tonight over 100 MPH that resulted in a groundout, and a lineout. For those of you that had Willy Adames to be the first Ray to use Lil Nas X’s “Hometown Road” as his walk up song, you win! Willy Adames with Old Town Road. We made it.— Juan Toribio (@juanctoribio) April 18, 2019 Yandy Diaz had a slick play in the 9th to help Pagan in his first Rays’ appearance Your browser does not support HTML5 video. Rays will look to finish the sweep tomorrow, and send out Opener Hunter Wood with TBD to follow. Gametime is at 7:10 PM.

It's been quite a run for 'Jeopardy!' contestant James Holzhauer.