In their own words: Mathieu Joseph

Throughout the season, tampabaylightning.com will periodically talk to Lightning players or coaches to get their first-hand account of a critical moment from the season or just what's on their mind currently.
In this installment, we hear from Lightning forward Mathieu Joseph, who, after a few near misses, scored his first career NHL goal in Tampa Bay's come-from-behind 4-3 overtime victory in Ottawa on November 4, an important goal that got the Lightning back on level terms with the Senators 2-2 at 3:04 of the third period.
Joseph has enjoyed a meteoric rise to his current position as the Lightning's third line right wing. Last year in his first pro season with Tampa Bay's AHL affiliate Syracuse, Joseph netted 15 goals and added a team-best 38 assists to lead the Crunch for scoring (53 pts.). He made the Lightning roster out of training camp in 2018 and has injected even more speed into an already blazing-fast Lightning lineup. Joseph made his NHL debut in the season opener October 6 versus Florida and registered his first career point, an assist, in his fourth game October 16 against Carolina. But that first goal remained elusive.
Until Ottawa.
As told to tampabaylightning.com beat writer Bryan Burns, Joseph discusses what it felt like to score for the first time, what it was like doing so in front of friends and family and how it felt being on the opposite bench at the Bell Centre in Montreal, a venue 30 minutes west across the St. Lawrence River from his Chambly, Quebec hometown.

"When we went to Montreal to play the Canadiens, I had close to 70 friends and family members in the stands that came to support me and watch me play. I'm really grateful for that. Not just my family but friends I've known for a while, to be able to share that experience with them, that first game in Montreal, being in Ottawa for that first goal, was something special. I had a lot of cousins in the stands, all my aunts and uncles. My grandmother was there. Lots of friends from when I was young. My dad's friends with their young sons and daughters. They came to my Quebec Major Junior Hockey League games too. People I know since I'm young. Really happy to see. Two of my billets were there. They came from Saint John. My other billet from midget AAA was there as well. Lots of people that I'm really close with. I'm always going to be extremely thankful for my family and friends and all they support they give me and my brother [editor's note: Mathieu's brother Pierre-Olivier Joseph currently plays for the Charlottetown Islanders of the QMJHL and was drafted 23rd overall by the Arizona Coyotes in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft].
Playing against Montreal was pretty special. I grew up right around the corner from there, went to Canadiens games as a kid. In the game, I had a breakaway against Carey Price. I've been watching Carey Price since I was I don't know how old. I'll admit, I was a little nervous. I played at the Bell Centre for World Juniors with Tony [Lightning forward Anthony Cirelli] and a couple other guys in the organization. Being on the other side of the net over there, being on the opposing team, playing in front of the fans in Montreal - they love their team so much, they eat, sleep, drink hockey - it was an unreal moment for me in my career and one I'll never forget.
A night later we played the Senators in Ottawa. Some of my friends and family that were in Montreal followed me over to Ottawa to watch me play there too. Early in the third period, I was fortunate enough to have an opportunity not only to score but make an impact on the game. I think it was Strals [Lightning defenseman Anton Stralman], he made a really good play coming in and taking time and space away from the forward there. The puck bounced and I tried to, I wouldn't say slash Chabot's stick, but I kind of took Chabot's stick out of the way and he lost his stick, which was a good break for us. Tony had the puck in alone on goal with me and he passed it off on his right to me. I was ready. I got a good bounce, it went in the net and that was it. Such a great feeling. And it was good timing too, tying the score up in a game we would eventually win in overtime. I was lucky enough to have my family there to watch me score my first NHL goal. It was good to get that first one out of the way but, more importantly, to help the team win the game.

I didn't realize right away I had scored. I think I had to take another look. You're almost like, 'Oh my goodness, is this really happening?' I was obviously very happy to contribute to the win. It was a timely game-tying goal, and it was good for the momentum of the game. Good play by Strals too. The guys were really happy for me. I had some chances at the beginning of the year but just wasn't able to convert. Obviously, everyone's happy, but I think after that we focused on trying to win the hockey game and that's what we did."
I had so many chances to score before that first one went in the back of the net. I think against Vancouver I should have scored off a cross-ice pass from Killer [Lightning forward Alex Killorn]. I think it was a pass from dot to dot, and I just missed the net and was wide open. I should have scored that one. Maybe against Columbus too, I had the five hole open against Bobrovsky. I think that one went wide between his five hole. That one should have gone in too. In Colorado I hit the post. Just a bunch of spots. Montreal I had a couple good chances too. I'm over it now. You have to be. I kept telling myself it would come. 'Take your time, have some poise.' This is what I would repeat in my head. If I want to stay in the lineup and help the team win, I need to do other stuff: be good on the forecheck, be good defensively, be good on the PK, be intense and win my battles. I think I was more focused on that stuff than scoring my first goal. But it was such a great feeling to score that first one. And being lucky enough to have my family there made it so much more special. Hopefully, I can score a few more in this league."