Hedman trending toward return as Lightning aim to strike back

The Tampa Bay Lightning had a full morning skate while the Toronto Maple Leafs held an optional skate at Amalie Arena prior to Game 3 of their first-round series on Saturday

Tampa Bay Lightning star defenceman Victor Hedman was back in his regular spot alongside Nick Perbix at Saturday's morning skate. 

"Cross our fingers and hopefully he'll be ready to go," said coach Jon Cooper. "It's an important time of year. It crushes guys when they can't go and it has to be an extreme situation for him not to play."

Hedman left Game 1 of the Lightning's first-round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs early and then missed Game 2 entirely. He will take part in warm-ups and is officially listed as a game-time decision.

"He's certainly made out of that Viking stock, for sure," said Lightning defenceman Ian Cole of the 6-foot-7 Swede. "He's big, strong. He's fast. He can skate. He's a heck of a player. Without a doubt, he's played through a lot of stuff."

"He's been one of the best d-men in the league for a long time," said Leafs winger Alex Kerfoot. "He can do it at both ends. Offensively he's been elite and he's one of those guys that no one wants to play against. He's so big, so long, so mobile so takes up a lot of space and eats a lot of minutes."

The Lightning missed Hedman's play and his leadership ability during Thursday's 7-2 defeat, which evened up the series.

"We definitely could've used him in the dressing room as just kind of calming presence," noted Lightning winger Ross Colton.

"He's a significant piece of their team," said Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe, "but he's a guy we're used to playing against. We went into last game assuming he was going to play. Go into today's game assuming he's going to play. Doesn't change our mindset."

Cole shifted back to the third pair alongside Zach Bogosian at Saturday's skate. Mikhail Sergachev remained with Darren Raddysh.

Defenceman Erik Cernak, who was knocked out of Game 1 after taking a head hit from Michael Bunting, did not skate on Saturday.

---

The Lightning had the second best home record in the NHL this season winning 28 games at Amalie Arena. Why are they so good in Tampa? 

"Rookie parties," Cooper said with a smile. "We're a benefactor, us and Miami."

Maybe some teams enjoy the sun and nightlife too much in the regular season, but there's another reason why the scene shifting south should benefit Cooper's crew now.

"The last-change advantage wasn't created for no reason," Lightning centre Pierre-Edouard Bellemare said. 

If last year's series is any indication, Cooper will look to get his top line – Brayden Point between Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov – out against Toronto's second line which, on Thursday, featured John Tavares between Alex Kerfoot and William Nylander.

"John's used to getting that," said Keefe, who has highlighted his captain's defensive maturation this season. "I mean, over the last two, three seasons he's generally the guy who gets the tougher match-ups on the road so managing that is partially on him, part of that's on me. That's part of why we've had different looks with our lines and John being moved to the wing or having different linemates."

Tavares opened the series as the left winger on a line with Ryan O'Reilly and Nylander. He moved back to his natural position in Game 2 and responded with a hat trick, including two goals at even strength. Nylander also scored and added an assist. 

"John having the type of game he did the other day with him and Will that changes a lot," Keefe said. "When John and Will are going like that it changes a lot for us and the opposition."

Kerfoot, who has been described as a "defensive stabilizer" by Keefe in the past, was added to that line for Game 2. 

The strategy against Tampa's top line? 

"With Point, staying above his speed," said Kerfoot. "Keeping Kucherov out of the middle of the ice and just knowing where they are. They don't need a lot of time and space in the offensive zone to get pucks on net and to be really dangerous so you need to know where they are at all times. And then limiting their speed in transition."

---

The Lightning didn't go down without a fight on Thursday. Tanner Jeannot, dropped the gloves with fellow Saskatchewan native Luke Schenn before Corey Perry went at it with Justin Holl. 

"Obviously, they sent Jeannot off the bench to pick the fight with Luke and that set the tone for the rest of the go there," said Keefe. "But our guys stood their ground."

Schenn required seven stitches after the dust-up. 

"When I found out he was playing, didn't surprise me at all that it ended up happening," said Schenn, who also fought Jeannot when he was with the Vancouver Canucks. "You respect his game, respect what his role is. He knows what he's doing. He's a tough guy and has got some experience doing it. Obviously, as a team you don't want to back down at all and [I'm] not opposed to sticking up for anyone including myself. If it happens again, it happens again. It's a battle and both teams are going at it and he's got his role to play and so do I."

When Schenn returned from getting stitches, he ended up skating back to the penalty box while play was actually underway in the Lightning zone. 

"I got to the tunnel or gate right at the time when the puck hadn't dropped yet," Schenn explained with a smile. "I said, 'Let me out,' because there were a bunch of fans standing there and talking to me and I just didn't want to stand there. Play could be going on for four or five minutes and I'm not going to stand there for that long. Before the puck dropped I thought I could work my way out there, but couldn't get anyone's attention so no looking back. I didn't want to turn around so I kept going and helped myself into the box and surprised the timekeepers too. I could hear their bench yelling at me too. It was kind of a funny play but didn't want to turn around and go back."

---

As the chippy play picked up in the third period, Lightning forward Pat Maroon tried to get the attention of his good friend O'Reilly by putting his stick into his glove while the Leafs' centre stood and looked straight ahead on the bench. 

"The game's pretty much wrapped up at that point," O'Reilly said. "It's just him trying to start some stuff. It's him just goofing around. It is what it is."

O'Reilly and Maroon won a Stanley Cup together with the St. Louis Blues in 2019 when they defeated the Boston Bruins in seven games. 

"We won't see each other or talk until after the series is over," O'Reilly said. "Obviously very close friend, but not in this two-week span here. Nothing but enemies."

---

Lightning superstar goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy refused to leave Game 2 despite giving up six goals on 29 shots through two periods. 

"Who am I to pull a goalie out when part of his whole mental makeup is to come right back," said Cooper. "I would never tinker with a goalie that’s got fight in his game and I'd never want to be the guy to take the fight out of his game or take him out of the fight."

"I liked the fact that he didn't want to come out," said Bellemare. "We're a team. We win together. We lose together. Whatever happens, there's no stone thrown on anybody. It's on us."

"A lot of goalies would be embarrassed by that, but he takes it as a challenge," said Cole. "That's the kind of mentality you want out of your goaltender."

Vasilevskiy has played every playoff minute for the Lightning during this run to three straight Stanley Cup finals. He is 19-2 in the game following a loss. 

"He's one of the most mentally tough goalies I've ever played with," said Cole. "His ability to come back and respond after games or after outings where he might not think he's at his best, I think is unparalleled."

---

Both games in the series have been decided early on with one team dominating and jumping out to a big lead. So, no surprise that both sides are stressing the start in Game 3. 

"We got to set the tone," said Colton. "Last game was obviously unacceptable."

"We got to get off to a good start," said O'Reilly. "That's one thing we talked about, you know, matching the intensity and physicality they have right away."

Keefe believes the series is really only getting started now. His players received the message loud and clear. 

"I think you'll see the best out of both teams tonight," said veteran defenceman Mark Giordano. 

In last year's series, the Lightning responded to every Leafs win with a win of their own. 

"They obviously understand what it takes to win and we're continuing to chip away and build our own experience and process," said Schenn, who won a pair of Stanley Cups with the Lightning. "That's what makes it so great."

---

Will the Leafs make any lineup changes for Game 3? 

"Maybe," is all Keefe would say.