The Tampa Bay Lightning will be without forward Alex Killorn when they take on the Montreal Canadiens tonight at AMALIE Arena in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final.
The Lightning own a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series after a 5-1 victory in Game 1 Monday.
In that win, Killorn blocked a shot from the point by Jeff Petry toward the end of the second period and was hobbled as he made his way to the bench. Killorn skated one shift at the beginning of the third period but didn't play after that.
Killorn is considered day-to-day, but during his morning skate media availability, Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said the do-everything forward would be unavailable tonight.
"He's day-to-day in the series, so it's not like a (Steven) Stamkos situation last year," Cooper said. "I'll let you know when he's going to play."
Killorn's loss is considerable for the Lightning. Not only is he an integral component of a second line along with Anthony Cirelli and Steven Stamkos that can shut opponent's top scoring lines down while also contributing heavily offensively. Killorn ranks fourth in the NHL these playoffs for scoring (8-9-17 pts.) and tied for second for goals.
He's also a member of the Lightning's top power-play unit. The Lightning power play has been clicking at a 37.5 percent rate this postseason and has been a difference maker throughout the playoffs. The Bolts scored a power-play goal at the end of Game 1 to end Montreal's streak of 32-straight opponent power plays killed.
And Killorn is a big piece of the Lightning's underrated penalty kill, often teaming up with Anthony Cirelli as part of a forward duo that does well breaking up opponent rushes and denying shots once teams are able to set up their power play inside the offensive zone.
He's selfless too. On the play where he was injured, Killorn rushed to hand his stick to Victor Hedman, who had his broken seconds earlier, before stepping into the path of Petry's shot from the point to block it away.
"He brings immense value," Cooper said. "And I could have this conversation about all 20 guys in different ways. Alex is a piece of the puzzle. He plays multiple special teams. He kills penalties for us, and he's on the top power-play unit. He can check for us. He chips in on the goal scoring side of things. He's a depth veteran player you can depend on game in and game out. He's the guy that, the questions don't get asked of him after the game whether he had three assists or he made 40 saves or he did whatever, but you look at the scoresheet and he's gobbled up 18 minutes and he's got some blocked shots, he's got some hits, he's got this, he's got that. When you win a hockey game, he's contributed in a way that doesn't always get his picture in the paper. Key part to our team, but it's the playoffs. Guys are in and out. You lose guys all the time. It's part of it. For tonight, we're going to have to play without him."
It'll be interesting to see how the Lightning construct their lineup for Game 2 without Killorn.
They could go with 11 forwards and seven defensemen, a lineup Cooper has used to much success throughout his coaching career. In that scenario, Luke Schenn would likely draw in as the seventh defenseman. The veteran was outstanding when he was called upon earlier this postseason with injuries to David Savard and Erik Cernak.
Or the Lightning could stay with the 12/6 alignment they've used since the Stanley Cup Semifinal round. When there were doubts about Nikita Kucherov's status for Game 7 against the New York Islanders, Cooper indicated he would probably stay with 12/6 if Kucherov couldn't go because he liked being able to roll four lines.
With how well all four lines have been playing right now, it's hard to see the head coach straying from that line of thinking. If that's the case, expect to see Mathieu Joseph or Gemel Smith step in for Killorn.
Joseph would bring an injection of speed to the Lightning lineup, and he could slot in directly on the second line, where he's played at times this season and has established chemistry with Cirelli and Stamkos.
Or the Lightning could bring Smith into the lineup. He was on the ice for warmups in Game 7 but didn't play with Kucherov able to go.
If Smith is in, expect to see Tyler Johnson move up to the second line and Smith take over as the fourth line center. But the fourth line has made a big impact this postseason, especially of late, and there might be some hesitance to break it up.
Whatever they do, the Lightning have options.
Still, they'd rather have Killorn back in the lineup. Hopefully he returns soon.
"It's going to be everyone having to step up in different roles," Johnson said. "That's the great thing about our team though is we have that depth, and it's going to take everybody."
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