Will Jake Guentzel be Ready to Play for the Lightning on Thursday?
TAMPA — Whether the Lightning will have top-line forward Jake Guentzel available when they resume play Thursday in San Jose remains to be seen. But Guentzel did return to practice Tuesday wearing a red no-contact jersey after missing the team’s last game Sunday against Montreal with an upper-body injury.
Guentzel’s Impact on the Team
Guentzel, who is averaging more than a point a game and is second on the Lightning with 20 goals in his first season with the team, exited Saturday’s game against the Rangers in the third period; his final shift ended with 9:15 left in regulation. After the game, coach Jon Cooper called it a precautionary move, but Guentzel did not play the following day against the Canadiens, and the Lightning struggled to find the right line combinations without him.
Optimism Surrounding Guentzel’s Return
Despite wearing a red jersey Tuesday, Guentzel was a full participant in practice, skating with Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov on line rushes. Guentzel will make the upcoming road trip — the team flies out Wednesday morning and practices in San Jose later in the day.
Cooper was cautiously optimistic about him playing Thursday, which will be the beginning of a three-game, four-day stretch in California that includes a back-to-back against the Kings and Ducks.
Potential Lineup Adjustments
“The game’s not for a couple more days,” Cooper said. “There’s been improvements since a couple games ago, so hopefully that continues and see what happens.” Without Guentzel — and with just six defensemen on the roster — forward Cam Atkinson would draw in at the team’s 12th forward. Atkinson started Sunday’s game on the top line, but logged just 6:27 of ice time after he was replaced by Nick Paul on the top line.
Conclusion
As the Lightning prepare to face the San Jose Sharks, the status of Jake Guentzel remains uncertain. His presence on the ice during practice is a positive sign, but his availability for Thursday’s game is still up in the air.
FAQs
1. Will Jake Guentzel definitely play on Thursday?
While there is optimism that Guentzel will return to the lineup, his status remains day-to-day depending on his recovery from the upper-body injury.
2. How has the Lightning performed without Guentzel?
The team has faced challenges in finding the right line combinations and offensive production in Guentzel’s absence.
