After a road trip that saw the Tampa Bay Lightning capture just one out of eight possible points, strong outings on this following homestand are exactly what is needed to get the team back on track.
And in the second game of this series at home, the Lightning posted a 4-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers with a lot of help from an unexpected hero.
Victor Hedman, the 6-foot-6 defenseman who is currently second on the team in time on ice and third in shifts per game, showed off his impressive two-way skills in a game that began as a strong goaltending battle. Tampa Bay had 14 shots on goal during the first period, but Flyers goaltender Ray Emery was able to make relatively routine saves to keep the game scoreless through 20 minutes.
The first player to beat Emery would be one that many did not expect. Hedman, who entered the game second-to-last on the Lightning in plus/minus, took a slap shot that sent the puck through Emery’s five-hole. After being minus six on the previous road trip, the defenseman continued to build his two-way resume by first netting a goal of his own.
“I think when you’re in a flow, whether it’s plus or minus, It seems like you’re on the ice, and the puck goes in every time,” Hedman said. “You just have to not think about it, and keep plugging away. That’s the biggest thing, too: to keep believing in myself and to have that confidence. Just keep playing, and things are going to come.”
Good things continued to come for Hedman throughout the rest of the game. He had an assist on Ondrej Palat’s shorthanded goal at the 12:16 mark of the second period, and netted his first-ever power play goal on a wrist shot past Emery’s right pad at the 5:00 mark of the third period.
Hedman’s success against the Flyers is reflective of his evolution as a player, and noticeable results that evolution has produced thus far. The fifth-year defenseman, who has often drawn comparisons to Chris Pronger and Nicklas Lidstrom due to his size and finesse, had previously topped out at five goals during a single season. However, Hedman now has six goals through 25 games and is on pace to surpass his previous personal bests in assists and shots.
Head Coach Jon Cooper said that the transitions in Hedman’s game have been evident to him throughout this season, and prompted his move to give the young defenseman time on the power play.
“Instead of letting the game come to him, he just goes in and takes it now,” Cooper said. “In defensive zone coverage he was more just being patient and letting an offensive player dictate, and now he’s in there pushing guys up against the wall. He’s got a little fire in the belly now. And now offensively, he’s engaging; he’s up ice, he’s a part of plays, and he’s been rewarded for it.”
Hedman’s outstanding play is also coming at the best possible time for Tampa Bay. With Stamkos injured, other sources of offensive production are in high demand. In addition, with Radko Gudas currently day-to-day with an upper body injury, the Lightning’s usual need for solid backchecking has now intensified.
Perhaps the most intriguing thing about Hedman’s play against the Flyers is that it is only a stepping stone in his total evolution as a player. Where six goals would be a high achievement for many defensemen, it is only the beginning of what Hedman can do. His emergence as a leader on this Lightning team is a product of the growing confidence Cooper has in him, and of the confidence he’s beginning to have in himself.
