After getting shutout by Detroit in Game 3 on Tuesday, the Tampa Bay Lightning are entering Thursday’s contest with a bit of a different look.
Defenseman Jason Garrison is ready to return from an upper-body injury that’s kept him on the sidelines for nearly a month now. He had four goals and 30 points in 70 contests with the Lightning this season. He’ll probably be paired up with Braydon Coburn. Rather than scratch a blueliner to make room with him, the Lightning are dressing seven defensemen.
Rookie Jonathan Drouin is also being inserted into the lineup for what will be his career playoffs debut. The 20-year-old had four goals and 32 points in 70 contests during the regular season.
He’ll likely play alongside J.T. Brown and Brian Boyle on the fourth line. To make room, 36-year-old Brenden Morrow has been taken out of the lineup. The veteran of 991 regular season contests and an additional 97 playoff games was limited to eight points in 2014-15.
Line rushes:
— Lightning Insider (@Erik_Erlendsson) April 23, 2015
Killorn-Stamkos-Callahan
Palat-Johnson-Kucherov
Namestnikov-Filppula-Paquette
Drouin-Boyle-Brown#tblightning
Defensive rushes were a little jumbled, but this was first time through the rotation
— Lightning Insider (@Erik_Erlendsson) April 23, 2015
Hedman-Sustr
Garrison-Coburn
Carle-Stralman
#tblightning scratches
— Lightning Insider (@Erik_Erlendsson) April 23, 2015
Barberio, Morrow, Namestnikov
