TAMPA -- Tampa Bay Lightning forward Jonathan Drouin is in the lineup for Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Chicago Blackhawks at Amalie Arena on Saturday.
The rookie has played in three games during the Stanley Cup Playoffs and has no points with a minus-4 rating. He hasn't played since Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Second Round against the Montreal Canadiens on May 7.
Drouin, the third pick in the 2013 NHL Draft, had four goals and 28 assists in 70 games during the regular season.
"I'm in for warmups, and we'll see from there," Drouin said after the morning skate. "It's exciting. I watched the first game and it was high tempo, and I expect it will be an exciting game [Saturday]."
Drouin said he's kept himself in shape waiting for this opportunity and understands the magnitude of playing in a Stanley Cup Final.
"I've been working hard in the gym and on the ice for a chance like this," Drouin said. "These are the two most skilled teams in the NHL, guys like [Tyler] Johnson, [Patrick] Kane, [Steven] Stamkos, and they are moving the puck up the ice. There is a lot of speed out there. They want to trust me in the [defensive] zone. I want to be a player that can be put in any situation."
Defenseman Nikita Nesterov was removed from the lineup with Lightning coach Jon Cooper opting to use a traditional lineup of 12 forwards and six defensemen for the first time since Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final against the New York Rangers. Tampa Bay had been using 11 forwards and seven defensemen.
Drouin, 20, played 70 games in the regular season and had four goals and 28 assists for 32 points, ranking 11th among rookie scorers.
Drouin was expected to begin the game at right wing on the fourth line with veterans Brian Boyle and Brenden Morrow.
The Blackhawks won Game 1 on Wednesday, 2-1, for a 1-0 lead in the best-of-7 series.
NHL.com is the official web site of the National Hockey League. NHL, the NHL Shield, the word mark and image of the Stanley Cup, the Stanley Cup Playoffs logo, the Stanley Cup Final logo, Center Ice name and logo, NHL Conference logos, NHL Winter Classic name, and The Biggest Assist Happens Off The Ice are registered trademarks and Vintage Hockey word mark and logo, The Game Lives Where You Do, NHL Winter Classic logo, NHL Heritage Classic name and logo, NHL Stadium Series name and logo, NHL All-Star logo, NHL Face-Off name and logo, NHL. TV, NHL Premium, NHL After Dark, NHL GameCenter, NHL GameCenter LIVE, NHL Network name and logo, NHL Tonight name and logo, On The Fly, NHL Awards name and logo, NHL Draft name and logo, Hockey Fights Cancer, Because It's The Cup, NHL Green name and logo, NHL Vault, Hockey Is For Everyone, NHL Thanksgiving Showdown name and logo, NHL Centennial Classic name and logo, NHL Centennial Season logo, NHL100 Classic name and logo, NHL Global Series name and logo, NHL China Games name and logo, and Don't Miss A Moment are trademarks of the National Hockey League. All NHL logos and marks and NHL team logos and marks depicted herein are the property of the NHL and the respective teams and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of NHL Enterprises, L.P. © NHL 2018. All Rights Reserved. All NHL team jerseys customized with NHL players' names and numbers are officially licensed by the NHL and the NHLPA. The Zamboni word mark and configuration of the Zamboni ice resurfacing machine are registered trademarks of Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. © Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. 2018. All Rights Reserved. Any other third party trademarks or copyrights are property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.