from Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun,

- It’s a tribute to the Tampa Bay Lightning and their coaching staff that this team without Steven Stamkos, with Ben Bishop hurt, with Anton Stralman not really ready, are still alive and within two wins of the Stanley Cup final.

- I think it was the Canada Cup in 1981 when the head coach of Sweden was asked what was wrong with his team and he said, “Too many Swedes.” And all these years later, I wonder if the problem with Team Russia in intentional hockey tournaments is “too many Russians.”

- It’s terrific that Team Canada will play for gold at the world hockey championships again. What’s not terrific or particularly impressive: Canada’s one-goal game over the leftovers who played for Team USA, save for Matthews and Dylan Larkin up front.

a few more hockey topics including why Phil Kessel did not fit in Toronto....