A positive spin on the losing side of Game 1 in the Stanley Cup Finals was the healthy return of a star player.
Tampa Bay forward Brayden Point, after missing 10 consecutive playoff games, made his impact felt on Wednesday night inside Ball Arena. Point assisted on the Lightning’s first goal of the game from Nick Paul. He entered the postseason with 58 points (28 goals) as one of the team’s top producers.
“Brayden helps our team,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. “Is Brayden Point the (player) he was before his injury? Probably not. That was his first game in well over a month and we’re playing the fastest team in the league. Itap a tough one to jump into.”
Point, a 26-year-old native of Alberta, did not speak with reporters after the Avalanche’s 4-3 overtime victory while he was getting treatment. But Lightning teammates were quick to sing his praises even after the defeat.
“He’s a warrior. He’s going to gut it out,” Lightning captain Steven Stamkos said. “It was just great for him to get back and great for our team to see him back out there. I thought he played fine.”
Point had not played since May 14 when he fell awkwardly near the wall in Game 7 at Toronto. The Lightning advanced despite missing his dynamic speed and playmaking abilities.
Point, , said: “You just want to be out there, you want to help. Thatap how I was feeling. I don’t know if there’s one specific emotion. I guess frustration, you know, when you want to get out there and the body is saying no.”
“Whenever we get (Point) back in the lineup, itap always huge for our team,” Lightning forward Alex Killorn said. “He does so much for us. The way he can skate is kind of similar to some of their players, in the sense that he can kind of take over a game. We’re always happy to have him back.”
