Lightning Strikes (Cristodero)

Lightning assistant coach Dan Lacroix talks about the 3-2 loss to the Jets after coach Guy Boucher was fired

The Lightning Sunday morning announced it has fired coach Guy Boucher. The final straw, obviously, was Saturday's 5-3 loss at Ottawa in which the team, facing a crucial weekend, showed little urgency in allowing four first-period goals.

The Lightning and center Nate Thompson have agreed to terms on a four-year, $6.4 million contract extension through 2016-17.

Lightning coach Guy Boucher talsk about Tampa Bay's 5-3 loss to the Senators

The Lightning got even more bad injury news on Thursday when it was announced goaltender Anders Lindback, hurt during the third period of Wednesday's loss to the Maple Leafs, has a high ankle sprain.

Lightning coach Guy Boucher can't explain his team's poor play in a 4-2 loss to the Maple Leafs.

Junior defenseman Slater Koekkoek, drafted by the Lightning 10th overall in June, was signed to a three-year, entry-level deal. Koekkoek, 19, played 42 games combined this season for Peterborough and Windsor of the junior Ontario league before his second surgery in two years on a torn labrum in his left shoulder.

Lightning rookie Cory Conacher was a huge Maple Leafs fan growing up, not surprising as he lived in Burlington, Ontario, which is just 25 miles to the south. So, playing tonight against the Maple Leafs at the Air Canada Centre will be a huge moment for the left wing, who said about 100 family and friends will be at the game.

Lightning injury updates:

Left wing Ryan Malone is out indefinitely with a left shoulder injury.

Defenseman Victor Hedman is day-to-day with an upper body injury.

The Lightning's Teddy Purcell talks about his winning goal in a 4-2 victory over the Flyers at the Tampa Bay Times Forum on march 18, 2013.

It would have been easy in February for Dana Tyrell to hang his head when he was demoted from the Lightning to AHL Syracuse.

Tampa Bay Lightning rookie Ondrej Palat discusses his first NHL goal, scored in the second period of Saturday night's 4-1 win over Carolina when a Sami Salo shot from the point deflected off his skate.

Lightning center Dana Tyrell got to cross paths with Adam Hall in the hallway before Saturday's game against Carolina, it still sinking in they are no longer teammates.

Adam Hall may get a chance to play tonight at the Tampa Bay Times Forum, but it’ll be with a different team.

The Tampa Bay Lightning sustained a huge loss Thursday when it was announced captain Vinny Lecavalier will be out indefinitely with a lower-body injury.

The NHL's Board of Governors on Thursday approved a realignment plan for next season with the Lightning in a division with the Panthers, Red Wings, Maple Leafs, Canadiens, Senators, Sabres and Bruins.

Lightning captain Vinny Lecavalier will miss Thursday’s game with the Islanders and is out indefinitely with what the team says is a lower body injury. Lecavalier limped off the ice late in the third period in Tuesday’s 3-2 victory over the Panthers and was believed to have hurt a knee, though coach Guy Boucher indicated at the time …

With 12:31 to go in the third period of his first NHL game, Lightning defenseman Radko Gudas got some attention he did not want as a knee-to-knee hit with Florida's Kris Versteeg forced the Panthers right wing out of the game with a right-knee injury.

Want to talk about the Lightning's recent struggles? The goaltending situation? The team's playoff chances? The approaching trade deadline? Join Times beat reporter Damian Cristodero for a live chat this afternoon, from 3-4 p.m.