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From the blog of WBS beat man Jonathan Bombulie:

If you're headed to the St. Patrick's Day parade in Wilkes-Barre tomorrow, you might see a familiar face on the parade route. Dennis Bonvie will be set up near the intersection of Northampton and Main to meet and greet fans and give a sneak preview of his new cafe, Dennis Bonvie Blue Chip Gourmet, which should be open in a few weeks.

I wonder if Bonvie will open a branch on Granby Street?

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Interesting story in the New York Daily News on an Air Force Academy player who's battled depression to become a college hockey standout.

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Today's Silly Photo of Ajay Baines shows the former Norfolk captain enjoying life with a jocular snarl and a Heather Locklear-lookalike and her friend.

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Talk of the Calgary Flames placing their farm team in the Vancouver area is heating up.

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Should the Lightning get the first pick in this year's NHL entry draft, it will go towards a blueliner, the St. Petersburg Times opines.

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Funny story on former Admiral Kris Versteeg, now lighting it up for the Chicago Blackhawks. One of the amusing lines:

"Some say when he goes to donate blood, he declines the needle and asks for a handgun and a bucket."

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Today's Silly Photo of Ajay Baines shows the former Admirals captain living by the sword.

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Quad Cities Flames fans are bummed out over their team's coming departure. Ironically, one of the Flames is from Abbotsford, British Columbia, where the franchise may relocate.

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Wale sighting at a Caps game. Ovechkin be down with his bad, bad self.

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The St. Petersburg Times reports that:

Defensemen Matt Lashoff, the key piece obtained from the Bruins in the Mark Recchi deal, played over the weekend in Norfolk, and likely will be called up for Tuesday's game.

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Lightning Assign D Josef Melichar to Admirals

TAMPA, Fla. – The Tampa Bay Lightning, NHL parent club of the Norfolk Admirals, have reassigned defenseman Josef Melichar to the Admirals, Lightning Executive Vice President and General Manager Brian Lawton announced.

Melichar, a 6-foot-2, 222-pound native of České Budějovice, Czech Republic, has played in 30 games with the Lightning and Carolina Hurricanes this season, recording eight assists. He made his Tampa Bay debut February 12 and has averaged 17:15 in ice time while recording four assists in 15 games with the Lightning.

Melichar has appeared in one game with Norfolk this season, making his Admirals debut on February 8 in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. He has also appeared in 25 games with Albany of the AHL, recording a goal and five points.

In his seventh NHL season, Melichar has played in 340 career NHL games with Tampa Bay, the Pittsburgh Penguins and Carolina. He has recorded seven goals and 48 points, including one shorthanded goal, during his career. Melichar has also played in 152 career AHL games with the Admirals, River Rats and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, recording six goals and 24 points.

Melichar was drafted by Pittsburgh in the third round, 71st overall, in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft. He was acquired by Tampa Bay from Carolina on February 7, 2009 with Wade Brookbank and a fourth round pick in 2009 in exchange for Jussi Jokinen.

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One of my henchmen who attended yesterday's Admirals game in Philly has filed a harrowing dispatch:

I noticed last night that there was a different guy doing the P.A. at the Spectrum for the Admirals-Phantoms game. It seems that their regular P.A. guy, Keith Jones (not the former Flyer player), who is very good, was hit by a puck during a game last Wednesday (not exactly sure how he got hit) and suffered a broken jaw, lost 4 teeth and needed 55 stitches.

Someone tell our Scope pal Chase to watch out. Speaking of the Pep Rally Leader, here's a somewhat dated shot of him below. What are the odds he was wearing acid-washed jeans when this photo was taken?

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Today's Silly Photo of Ajay Baines:

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Longtime NHLer Miroslav Satan had a goal and three assists in his WBS Penguins debut last night. He should be here Saturday when the Baby Birds invade Scope.

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Lightning Recall D Matt Lashoff to Admirals

TAMPA, Fla. – The Tampa Bay Lightning, NHL parent club of the Norfolk Admirals, have recalled defenseman Matt Lashoff from the Admirals on an emergency basis, Lightning Executive Vice President and General Manager Brian Lawton announced.

Lashoff, 6-foot-2 and 204 pounds, has skated in 16 games with the Boston Bruins this season, recording an assist and 10 penalty minutes. A 2005 first-round draft choice of the Bruins, Lashoff has appeared in 46 games with Boston during the past three seasons, recording a goal, seven assists and 22 penalty minutes. He played in two games with Norfolk this past weekend, recording two penalty minutes.

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One of the sweetest and funniest videos I've seen in a while can be accessed through this St. Petersburg Times page. Yes, it has to do with hockey.

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Have the Calgary Flames moved too soon in cutting ties to Quad Cities? The Winnipeg Free Press weighs in.

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Today's Silly Photo of Ajay Baines:

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WBS beat man Jonathan Bombulie's blog has as part of his most recent post one of the funnier and longest fight scenes you'll see. Well worth the time just for the laughs.

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A snippet from today's Admirals story in The Pilot:

Admirals radio play-by-play man Pete Michaud, who breaks down the team's results in painstaking detail, noted Norfolk (27-35-3-5) has been tied or ahead in the third period in 52 of its 69 games.

In addition, the Admirals have lost 14 times when leading in the third period, including nine in regulation.

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The Lightning have lost yet another defenseman. Which means the Admirals will likely lose yet another defenseman. Which means the likes of Mitch Ganzak or someone like him will probably be arriving for this weekend's games.

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The Chicago Blackhawks are in a major tailspin and fans are calling for GM Dale Tallon's head. Should they get it, would the Hawks promote former Admirals GM Al MacIsaac? That sure would be interesting, especially to see how MacIsaac handled the scrutiny and pressure placed upon that position by the Chicago media.

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Folks in the Lehigh Valley of Pennsylvania are all excited about the possibility of the Philadelphia Phantoms landing there after spending a year or two ``elsewhere'' (Richmond?).

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Admirals wing Grant Potulny reports he underwent ankle surgery Monday and is trying to stay off the healing joint this week. He's hoping to take in a game or two at Scope this weekend, but walking or crutching around on something like that isn't a whole lot of fun. It's been a tough season for my fellow Gopher. One of those campaigns you look at and wonder if it wasn't all doomed from the start.

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A couple quick quotes from tonight's debacle against Binghamton:

Zenon Konopka:

``It's like a broken record to say we have to play 60 minutes but we didn't again tonight and we can't be surprised with the result. We have to understand what we have in our lineup and outwork teams.

``The only other team in any sport I've been on since I was seven years old that didn't make the playoffs was one ECHL year in Wheeling with (John Brophy) as the coach. But we just didn't have the horses then. And we still battled and fought and hit. Here, we have some talent and we just don't work hard enough.''

Darren Rumble:

``I like to see fans enjoying the game and when I hear the players being booed and people are shouting at me on my way off the ice, I know that they know they didn't see an honest effort.''

Today's Silly Photo of Ajay Baines (who always gives an honest effort):

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A shapely Florida Panthers fan recently showed off her assets to the TV camera, which reminds me of the night in 1999-2000 that an Admirals gal did the same thing. Except there was no TV, of course, and I seem to remember it was to a visiting player in the penalty box.

She was dating or had just finished dating an Admirals employee at the time, so that was a bit embarrassing for the franchise. But of course no one said anything to the poor guy and allowed him to keep his dignity. And if you believe we actually left him alone, I have oceanfront property in Moose Jaw to sell you.

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Last night's loss officially eliminated the Admirals from playoff participation and rendered false earlier predictions by Zenon Konopka and Brandon Segal that the team would reach the postseason. You can't blame the guys for saying such stuff, but the Tampa Bay management would be wise to not offer any promises this summer. Norfolk fans are tired of talk and want to see some results.

[Edit: Bridgeport beat man Mike Fornabaio points out this reasoning below. The playoff dream is alive!]

If Norfolk wins out and Binghamton loses out in regulation:

NOR 37-35-3-5 82
BIN 37-35-5-3 82

Norfolk would win the season series 5-3 (10-6). Assuming neither
Philly nor Albany earns enough (and they don't play each other enough
to throw in a wrench), wouldn't Norfolk miraculously make the
playoffs?

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Lightning Recall D Josef Melichar from Admirals

TAMPA, Fla. – The Tampa Bay Lightning, NHL parent club of the Norfolk Admirals, have recalled defenseman Josef Melichar from the Admirals, Lightning Executive Vice President and General Manager Brian Lawton announced.

Melichar, a 6-foot-2, 222-pound native of České Budějovice, Czech Republic, has played in 30 games with the Lightning and Carolina Hurricanes this season, recording eight assists. He made his Tampa Bay debut February 12 and has averaged 17:15 in ice time while recording four assists in 15 games with the Lightning.

Melichar has appeared in one game with Norfolk this season, making his Admirals debut on February 8 in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. He has also appeared in 25 games with Albany of the AHL, recording a goal and five points.

My take: Presumably, Melichar was held out of last night's game so he wouldn't be hurt for this recall today.

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Notes from the St. Petersburg Times in advance of tonight's clash with the (gulp) Capitals:

Mike McKenna is expected to start in net. ... Wing Steve Downie, serving a 20-game AHL suspension for allegedly intentionally slashing a linesman, is in Tampa, starting a workout program much like the one Steven Stamkos used to get into shape. Coach Rick Tocchet likes Downie because "he's one of those guys who comes up with pucks when the pucks are in tight." But he said Downie has to get stronger. "he has to learn what it takes to train like a pro and be a pro," Tocchet said. "That's probably the next level he has to improve on."

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An email update has just arrived from broadcaster Pete Michaud regarding tonight's ``Admirals Hour'' radio show:

Chicago blackhawks asst coach and former admirals head coach mike haviland will be on the admirals hour tonight for a brief 5-10 minute segment somewhere around 625-630pm...brandon bochenski will be in the studio for the whole 6-7pm hour with me.

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Abbotsford, British Columbia, has an AHL site up now. As Michaud points out, flying there probably wouldn't take the Admirals any longer than busing to Portland, Maine. I don't see them going, because Norfolk management hates playing the Western Conference teams, but we can dream, can't we?

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Former Admirals fan favorite Quintin Laing has been recalled from Hershey to the Washington Capitals and could play tonight against the Lightning in Tampa.

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WBS beat man Jonathan Bombulie reports that former Baby Bird and Admiral Eric Meloche has been booked for WBS' first-ever alumni game on April 4. He'd been playing in Germany. I liked Meloche. Good guy and a bright one. Also, I enjoy the mental recollection of Norfolk's Marty Wilford using a broken stick shaft on him like a spear when Meloche was with Philadelphia. How Willy got away without a suspension, I still don't know.

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Today's Silly Photo of Ajay Baines is titled ``Three Stooges in an Empty Field'':

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The Lighting's players and coach aren't too happy with Capitals star Alex Ovechkin today. Interesting comments in this story from former Admirals goaltender Mike McKenna. Not surprisingly, Capitals fans think the celebration was just ducky.

My take: I love it when Ovechkin gets excited and jumps against the glass. But he's playing with fire when he pulls the kind of thing he did last night. There are a lot of guys out there who would love to make a name for themselves by being the guy who lays No. 8 out cold.

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From the Washington Post:

Here's Coach Bruce Boudreau's reaction to (former Admiral) Quintin Laing suffering a torn spleen (in last night's game in Tampa):

"He said: 'Geez, my abs are hurting'," Boudreau said. "And [head athletic trainer Greg Smith] said: 'That's not your abs.' I have no idea if he's having surgery or not having surgery. But Smitty said it's a three- to four-month recovery period, at least."

Laing, who was playing in his first game with Washington this season, is in intensive care right now, Boudreau said.

"I feel sick about it because he's been waiting all year to get recalled," Boudreau added. "He loved it here. The fans in Washington loved the way he played. He gets in there and that line scores a goal for the first time in a long time. As soon as he blocked that shot, you said, 'Wow, he's back.' So it's a really tough break for him."

Boudreau said he did not know exactly how Laing was injured. He also said the team may not have to recall a player for Saturday's game if Donald Brashear is able to return from a sprained knee.

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As anticipated, here come the tryout troops, fresh from college and juniors...

Admirals Sign Defenseman Geoff Kinrade to ATO

NORFOLK, Va. – The Norfolk Admirals have signed defenseman Geoff Kinrade to an Amateur Tryout Contract, Admirals General Manager Mike Butters announced today. Kinrade is expected to make his professional debut tonight with the Admirals and will wear number 43.

Kinrade, a 6-foot-0, 195-pound native of Nelson, British Columbia, finished his collegiate career with Michigan Tech earlier this month. In 150 career games with the Huskies, the blueliner scored 14 goals and added 47 assists with 124 penalty minutes.

The 23-year-old served as an alternate captain with Michigan Tech this season. In 38 games, Kinrade scored three goals and added 13 assists with 18 penalty minutes, tying for fourth on the team in scoring and tying for second in assists.

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Today's Silly Photo of Ajay Baines: