The Lightning lineup will get a lift when they begin their three-game road trip tonight at Buffalo with the return of forwards J.T. Miller and Ryan Callahan to the group.
Miller has missed the last six games with an upper-body injury. Callahan has been sidelined two-consecutive games with an upper-body injury.
Miller, Callahan return as Bolts open road trip in Buffalo
Both players have recently missed time with upper-body injuries
Both practiced during the team's morning skate at Buffalo's KeyBank Center Saturday, and Tampa Bay head coach Jon Cooper confirmed both will be back for a key interdivisional matchup against the Sabres.
"Any coach will tell you, health is the key to having success during the season," Cooper said. "Every team's going to lose players, but if you lose them one at a time and then get them back and somebody else goes, it probably makes things a little bit more manageable. But our depth has really helped us out from Martel to come in, another one kind of in Louis (Domingue's) situation, he doesn't play a lot and is thrust into a situation where he's got to play and does a heck of a job and is a big part of our success."
Miller took line rushes on the right wing alongside Alex Killorn (left wing) and Anthony Cirelli (center). Callahan was the fourth line right wing with Adam Erne and Cedric Paquette. Miller said he's excited to get back in the lineup, feels good and ready to contribute for a team that hasn't missed a beat when players go down.
The Lightning went 5-1-0 with Miller sidelined and currently hold an eight-point lead in the NHL standings.
"That's something we know is one of our major assets is having all this depth at forward, D and even in net having Louis back there," Miller said. "Everybody feels comfortable with the way we play. We don't have to change the way we play when people are out. Obviously, since I've been gone, everybody's done a great job and I'm just excited to get back in the mix and get into the game as early as possible."
Miller emphasized it's important not to make too difficult a play early in the game when returning from injury because it could set a negative tone for the remainder of the contest.
"It's important that you make it easy on yourself, keep pucks moving forward, keep your legs moving, getting physical," he said. "I think that gets you engaged into the game and when that happens, the ice seems to open up for you."
With Miller and Callahan back, it appears, at least from morning skate line rushes, Mathieu Joseph and Danick Martel will have to sit. Now that everybody's healthy for the first time in a while, the Lightning might employ a rotation at forward much like they've done on defense (Anton Stralman will likely be the odd-man out on the blueline for tonight's game, the first time he'll sit in the D-man rotation).
"In that room, we make a point of talking with all the players, they know their roles, they know where they stand with the team," Cooper said. "And a big part is they're a part of our team. Everybody's goal in that room is to make the playoffs, and if we're fortunate enough to make the playoffs, it's to advance in the playoffs…When everybody has that mindset, they might not like not being able to play every single night but they're doing it for the better of the team. They know that. That's what's been great about this group is everybody's bought into what we want to do."
Louis Domingue will make his first start in goal since December 20 at Calgary, when he made several impressive stops in overtime and through seven rounds of a shootout to help the Lightning escape the Saddledome with a victory. Cooper said what makes Domingue's play this season so impressive is his ability to play at a high level despite not knowing when his next game might come.
"Mentally, it is a completely different animal than knowing you're going to be playing every single night," Cooper said. "I think the guys that really excel at it, as Louis has done, really help teams win because when it all adds up, Louis, who knows, he may get 30 games this year, simply because our goaltender missed a month and a half. But for a guy to come in and play 20 games, that's a quarter of your season, you need those games to make the playoffs. Somebody's got to win them for you. When you don't play that often to come in and mentally stand up to that challenge, it takes a special guy to do it, and Louis' done a heck of a job at it."
