The Tampa Bay Lightning are trying out a new moniker in the locker room.
"We kinda joke, you know, 'we're the Tampa Bay Find-A-Ways,'" captain Steven Stamkos said after Thursday's 2-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators. "We just find a way to win and find a way to get points. Just munch them away until we can get healthy. It's certainly been a great run."
The start of the 2021-22 season hasn't been smooth sailing for Stamkos' squad. Nikita Kucherov played just three regular-season games before being dealt another long-term injury; young phenom Brayden Point played in 16 contests before being sidelined by an upper-body ailment.
Despite all of that, the Lightning sit at the top of their division with a record of 19-6-4. Since Nov. 21, the first game the Lightning were without both Kucherov and Point, the team has gone 10-2-1.
Stamkos said the Bolts miss Kucherov and Point the most on the power play.
"We have guys that are capable of making plays, but we have to be realistic here. You're talking about probably the best power-play guy in the world in (Kucherov) and one of the best shooters from the hole ... in (Point)," he said. "No one's gonna replace those guys. It's gotta be by committee. It's gotta be guys willing to get out of their comfort zone a little bit."
The 31-year-old pointed to defenseman Victor Hedman as someone who has stepped up on the man advantage. The Swede scored the game-winner on the power play against the Senators on Thursday night.
The Lightning will take on the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday.
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