The Lightning's surprising supporting cast has turned the team into Stanley Cup contenders.
When the Tampa Bay Lightning won the Stanley Cup in 2004, it was their star players leading the way.
Brad Richards was the Conn Smythe Trophy winner after scoring a team-high 12 goals and 26 points in 23 games. He was followed closely by Martin St. Louis who managed nine goals (including the OT winner in Game 6 in Calgary to extend the finals to seven games) and 24 points. Vincent Lecavalier played a solid two-way game and chipped in with nine goals and 16 points while Freddy Modin had a surprisingly good playoff registering eight goals and 19 points.
The Lightning were a veteran club with Nikolai Khabibulin providing solid goaltending, much like the way Dwayne Roloson has thus far in this year's playoffs. Once again St. Louis is leading offensively for the upstart Lightning. The veteran forward has scored a team-high 14 points through 12 games and Lecavalier has played superbly scoring five goals (three game-winners) and 12 points.
There is a distinctly different feel about the 2010-11 Lightning. The stars are the stars, to be sure, but it is the supporting cast that has been the most impressive as Tampa Bay has built an early 1-0 lead in the Eastern Conference final against the Boston Bruins.
If you don't know much about Teddy Purcell, who just happens to be Tampa Bay's second-leading scorer in the postseason, you're not alone. Up until this season, Purcell has mostly been a role player, first with the Los Angeles Kings who signed him as a free agent after he played one year of NCAA hockey at the University of Maine, and then with the Lightning.
This season, given more playing time and responsibility, Purcell has emerged as something of a scoring threat. In his first 110 NHL games with Los Angeles and Tampa Bay, Purcell had just 11 goals and 34 points. This year, however, he popped 17 goals and 51 points and has continued to raise his level of play in the playoffs.
Many wondered if Steve Downie's talent would ever win over his hot temper that often got him into trouble. While the 24-year-old right winger continues to play on the edge, he's finally showing signs of maturing and his offence, which was so prevalent in his highly successful junior career, has been a godsend for the Lightning. After all the trouble, Downie has developed into a legitimate top-six forward.
Sean Bergenheim, or as I like to call him, Bergen-Druce, is making the most of his first trip to the playoffs. Like John Druce, who came out of nowhere to score 14 goals in 15 playoff games for the Washington Capitals in 1989-90, Bergenheim has been lighting it up for Tampa Bay as he's scored a league-high eight goals in 12 games. With Steven Stamkos struggling to find his offensive touch, Bergenheim's contribution has been significant in making his team a Cup contender.
Journeyman Dominic Moore has carved a reputation for being a responsible defensive citizen in his seven-year NHL career, but it's his offence that has stood out in this year's playoffs. He has nine points in 12 games and has not sacrificed anything defensively to make an impact on the scoreboard.
With the Lightning, it's not all about their point producers. Second-year defenceman Victor Hedman, who struggled as a rookie after being chosen No. 2 overall in the 2009 NHL draft, has made gigantic strides this season and seems to be growing in confidence with each game. His four assists are a bonus, but more than that it is his aggressive play and ability to skate the puck out of the defensive zone that has made him such a big part of the Lightning's success.
Nate Thompson is another player who has emerged as a solid contributor this season. After scoring just four goals and 14 points in 118 games, Thompson managed 10 goals and 25 points in 79 games this year. He has a goal and three points in the playoffs, but it is his toughness (he has 24 hits) and aggressive defensive play that is most noticeable.
If the Lightning win the Cup this year, it will be the likes of t-Louis, Lecavalier and Roloson leading the way, but the contributions of the team's role players is proving to be every bit as important.
