LIGHTNING RECALL FORWARDS MATTIAS RITOLA, BLAIR JONES TAMPA BAY

COURTESY OF THE TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING

 The Tampa Bay Lightning have recalled forwards Mattias Ritola (ree-TOW-lah) and Blair Jones from the Norfolk Admirals of the American Hockey League today, vice president and general manager Steve Yzerman announced. Ritola, 6-foot, 192 pounds, has appeared in a NHL career-high 24 games this season with the Lightning, recording career-bests with two goals, four assists and six points. He was reassigned to Norfolk on February 9. Since then he has registered two goals and 11 points with a plus-4 rating in nine games with the Admirals. Of his nine contests, five of them were multi-point games. A native of Borlange, Sweden, Ritola has appeared in 31 NHL games with both the Lightning and the Detroit Red Wings. He is also a veteran of 220 AHL games with Norfolk and the Grand Rapids Griffins. He has amassed 43 goals, and 117 points during his AHL career and posted his best season in 2009-10 when he tied for third on the Griffins with 42 points in 73 games, while ranking third on the team with six power-play goals and also recording an AHL career-high 178 shots. Ritola has played in eight career Calder Cup Playoff games, recording two assists. Ritola was originally selected by the Red Wings in the fourth round, 103rd overall, at the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. He joined the Lightning after being claimed off waivers from Detroit on October 5, 2010. Jones, 6-foot-2, 216 pounds, has played in nine games with the Lightning this season, recording a goal and two points with an even rating while averaging 7:53 in ice time per game. He has played in 47 games with Norfolk this season, notching 20 goals and 44 points with a plus-17 rating. Jones leads the Admirals in goals, is second for points and is tied for third in plus/minus. A native of Central Butte, Saskatchewan, Jones has played in 47 career NHL games, all with the Lightning. He has registered two goals and five points with 14 penalty minutes during his career. Last season Jones played in 14 games with the Lightning, recording 10 penalty minutes and averaging a career-best 12:50 in average ice time. Jones was drafted by Tampa Bay in the fourth round, 102nd overall, of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.

Ritola NHL.com Player Page

Jones NHL.com Player Page      

 ~ALL IN~