One day after his coach referred to him as a Jeep amongst Ferraris, Barclay Goodrow took the wheel for a series-opening spin as the game’s top skater as the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Carolina Hurricanes 2-1.
When Jon Cooper referenced the 28-year-old as a good old-fashioned, four-wheel-drive-type player who had the ability to drag his sublimely skilled club out of the mud, he did it knowing there’d be games like Sunday’s when Goodrow would lead the game with seven hits and top all forwards killing penalties.
What he’d only seen once before since Goodrow arrived in Tampa was a game-deciding goal, leaving the coach unsure whether to compare it to a luxury ride or a weather-torn beater.
“I don’t know if it was either one of those, but it sure was the winning goal,” he beamed, following the win over Carolina that wrestled home-ice advantage away from the division champs.
"He usually doesn't get his accolades from getting game-winning goals. He's usually the guy stopping game-tying goals from happening. So you're really happy for guys that are team-first players and have an opportunity to bask a little bit in the limelight."
Goodrow’s winner came with over seven minutes left in a tight game that had 16,300 Caniacs frothing after rookie Jake Bean tied it 1-1 early in the third period with a power-play blast.
Goodrow sent a sharp-angled shot towards Hurricanes hotshot Alex Nedeljkovic that the rookie netminder somehow let in short-side, under his pad to deflate a Carolina club that had a 23-3-5 home record this year until Sunday’s loss at PNC Arena.
Three of his four career playoff goals have been game-winners, which says plenty about his ability to step up in the crunch. Nine of his 32 regular season winners have been winners too – a shockingly high percentage for a depth forward.
Asked afterwards how he felt about being described by his coach as a mid-range sport utility vehicle, Goodrow paused.
“I’ll take it,” he smiled, rolling with the analogy.
“I think they’re pretty reliable cars. I know their resale value is pretty good. They hold up in all conditions, so I’ll take it.”
Goodrow’s acquisition at last season’s trade deadline with Blake Coleman marked the organization’s clear intention to add more moxie, grit and defence to a club dripping in offensive firepower.
Having seen his character shine through in San Jose where he scored the game-winner in Games 5 and 7 of the Sharks’ first-round victory over Vegas in 2019, Goodrow was given far more than just token fourth-line minutes upon his arrival.
His return from an injury in time for the Bolts’ Game 6 victory over Florida solidified a third line that saw plenty of ice time and responsibilities against a potent Canes team Sunday.
Almost six of his 18:48 played on Sunday came on the penalty kill, limiting the NHL’s second-ranked power play to the Bean blast in five attempts.
“When I was traded here, obviously there’s so much skill on the team and so many high-end, elite players for goal-scoring, playmaking, whatever it may be,” said the six-foot-two, 203-pound Toronto native who had six goals and 20 points this season.
“I think my game is a little different than that. I can bring physicality and I do take a lot of pride in being defensively sound and being counted on to do a good job on the penalty kill and defend a lead when we’re up late in games.”
To that point, the Lightning were 31-1 this season when leading after two periods, which is why Goodrow was spotted everywhere in the final ten minutes.
Shortly after his goal, with the frantic push on from the home team for the equalizer, Goodrow used his stick to deftly break up a dangerous two-on-one pass mere feet from being converted by Sebastian Aho.
In the final minute, Ryan McDonagh’s stick broke, only to have Goodrow immediately replace it with his own as the clock ticked down.
“We just trust him in any situation,” said McDonagh, whose club snapped a scoreless tie midway through the game when Brayden Point redirected a deft Victor Hedman slap pass through the wickets with the man advantage.
“When it’s a tie game he’s out there and makes a goal happen. When we’ve got a lead he’s out there defending. First and foremost, he sacrifices his body and is willing to block shots. We all feed off that.
“Secondly, he’s got some undercover skill around the net-front there.”
On a team full of players who took turns playing the hero role throughout last season’s breakthrough run, Sunday’s star looked to be Point before Andrei Vasilevskiy 37 saves seemed to be the difference.
But in the end, it was Goodrow taking a bow.
“He’s a big-game kind of player,” said Hedman, whose club plays Game 2 Tuesday.
“Obviously last year in the bubble he was outstanding. And you go back to San Jose days, he scored a Game 7 overtime winner against Vegas. He rises to the occasion and he’s a warrior out there. We were pretty pumped to see him come back.”
