The Tampa Bay Lightning made a bold statement on Tuesday, scratching star forward Brayden Point for their game against the Boston Bruins due to a team policy violation. According to Gabby Shirley of FanDuel Sports Network,

The Tampa Bay Lightning have established one of hockey’s winningest cultures in the last decade, resulting in back-to-back Stanley Cup victories and a third consecutive trip to the Stanley Cup Final.

The Tampa Bay Lightning look to defend their two-point lead over the Boston Bruins on Tuesday without star forward Brayden Point in the lineup. Tampa Bay announced that Point will be scratched from the game because he missed a team meeting. "Update: Brayden Point will not play tonight due to missing a team meeting," the team said on X.

The Lighting were prepared to dress all 18 healthy skaters, but a team rule states that any player who misses a meeting will be benched for the next game. When Point arrived late to TD Garden Tuesday morning, Tampa Bay summoned Finley from Syracuse to fill the empty forward spot.

Lightning general manager Julian BriseBois believes that his team is playing better than last season despite their struggles.

It’s no secret that January has been a grind for the Lightning. It’s that way for every team at this point in the season. But add Tampa Bay’s schedule this month — 16 games over 29 days — and it’s

The general manager says the team’s play has been deserving of more wins, but a friendlier schedule should lead to more points.

BOTTOM LINE: The Chicago Blackhawks enter the matchup with the Tampa Bay Lightning as losers of three games in a row. Tampa Bay has a 26-19-3 record overall and a 15-6-1 record in home games. The Lightning have allowed 135 goals while scoring 170 for a +35 scoring differential.

Point missed a team meeting and won't play Tuesday versus the Bruins, Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times reports. This is likely to be a one-game absence for Point as head coach Jon Cooper sends a message on accountability.

Midway through the 2024-25 hockey calendar, Bolts writers Benjamin Pierce and Thompson Brandes get together to hand out trophies to the players and memorable moments of the first half of the season. Some accolades will be real—awarded to the memorable performances and milestones of note.

The Tampa Bay Lightning have established ... regardless of his star status. Lightning forward Brayden Point, one of their top forwards and a key element in their championship success, is being ...

The Tampa Bay Lightning have established ... regardless of his star status. Lightning forward Brayden Point, one of their top forwards and a key element in their championship success, is being ...