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Lightning's Cedric Paquette finally has a home

 
Cedric Paquette has four goals in his past two games, including a hat trick.
Cedric Paquette has four goals in his past two games, including a hat trick.
Published Jan. 31, 2015

TAMPA — For the first three months Cedric Paquette spent with the Lightning this season, every day had some uncertainty.

Paquette, 21, lived out of a suitcase in a downtown Tampa hotel, his meals coming typically from two sources: room service or Jackson's restaurant in nearby Harbour Island.

All the while, he was waiting for a tap on the shoulder to tell him he was going back to AHL Syracuse.

"Honestly, the last three months of my life, I was coming to the rink, and I didn't know what was going to happen," he said.

But last week, general manager Steve Yzerman told Paquette to find an apartment; the 21-year-old rookie center isn't going anywhere. All of a sudden, a weight was lifted off Paquette's 6-foot-1, 198-pound frame. He felt more comfortable and confident.

And it shows. Paquette scored four goals in the first two games after the All-Star break, including his first NHL hat trick Thursday night in a 5-1 win over the Red Wings. In practice Friday, he scored on a shorthanded breakaway and his only shootout attempt.

"When you're hot, you're hot," Paquette said, smiling.

Paquette is riding the wave. He's known more for his grit and fearlessness; he infamously took on Bruins 6-foot-9 defenseman Zdeno Chara on Jan. 13. He blocks more shots than he takes. He pays the price in the corners and in front of the net.

"He's a warrior," coach Jon Cooper said. "You win with guys like that."

But center Brian Boyle says don't call Paquette just a "grinder." Paquette scored five goals in his first nine games this season following a late October callup. He has nine overall.

"He's got a ton of skill," Boyle said. "Got a lot of hockey sense. He's the complete package for such a young guy."

Thursday, Paquette's second goal came on a world-class wrist shot. His third goal made him the first rookie to rack up a hat trick against Detroit since Dec. 18, 1993, the Elias Sports Bureau said. Paquette joined teammates Tyler Johnson, Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov as others who have hat tricks this season. Stamkos calls a hat trick a benchmark for every player. There have been 4,469 hat tricks in league history, 36 this season.

Paquette said he has the puck from his hat-trick-clinching goal and plans to frame it.

"It's just special, because when you play in this league, you just dream about playing here. You don't necessarily dream about scoring three goals or whatever it is," said Johnson, who tallied his hat trick this season Dec. 23 against the Penguins. "Once you do that, it's pretty special. It's a small group of guys that have done it. Not everyone has, so it's pretty cool."

Paquette had gone 29 straight games without a goal before Tuesday's in Carolina. But he said he hasn't altered his style.

"I think I'm playing the same way," Paquette said. "I think the puck is just going on my stick right now, and my stick is on. I don't know. Even in practice, I score pretty much more than I was before. I don't think I changed my game at all."

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Plenty has changed, however. Paquette made his debut late last season — and appeared in all four playoff games in the first-round sweep by the Canadiens — but didn't make the opening-night roster.

However, after two callups this season, it appears he's here to stay.

"It was great to get a place," he said. "Now I can make food."

Contact Joe Smith at joesmith@tampabay.com. Follow @TBTimes_JSmith.