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Ryan Callahan skates for first time since injury

 
Vancouver Canucks' Luca Sbisa, back left, of Switzerland, collides with Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Ben Bishop, back right, as Ryan Callahan (24) skates past during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Oct. 18, 2014, in Vancouver, British Columbia. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Darryl Dyck) VCRD101
Vancouver Canucks' Luca Sbisa, back left, of Switzerland, collides with Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Ben Bishop, back right, as Ryan Callahan (24) skates past during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Oct. 18, 2014, in Vancouver, British Columbia. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Darryl Dyck) VCRD101
Published Oct. 25, 2014

WINNIPEG — There was a surprise late arrival for the Lightning's morning skate Friday, with RW Ryan Callahan jumping on the ice near the end.

" 'Cally!' " one player yelled.

It was the first time Callahan, 29, skated since suffering a lower-body injury in the second period of Monday's game against the Oilers. He was cautious in his strides and did some shooting. Coach Jon Cooper said the veteran is week to week. But for Callahan, it was an encouraging first step.

"It means it's progressing," Callahan said of the injury. "It's healing like it should." He said it happened on a "real innocent play" and he tried staying in the game for another shift but realized "it wasn't going to happen."

brown, connolly out: The Lightning lost yet another forward Friday, with RW J.T. Brown leaving the 4-2 win against the Jets in the first period with an upper-body injury and not returning. Jets RW Chris Thorburn hit Brown on the shoulder, driving his head into the boards. Also, RW Brett Connolly (lower body) didn't come out for the second period. Cooper said it was unlikely either would play against the Wild tonight, so a callup from AHL Syracuse was likely.

PAQUETTE IN: With Callahan, LW Alex Killorn, D Victor Hedman and D Radko Gudas being out with injuries, Cooper said his team has been missing some "jam." So it called up C Cedric Paquette from Syracuse, inserting him into the lineup Friday. It reassigned F Mike Blunden to Syracuse.

Paquette, 21, made his NHL debut in April and appeared in all four playoff games with Tampa Bay. He was one of the final cuts in training camp.

"He's a gritty kid; he's not afraid of anybody," Cooper said. "He's earned his way in the playoffs last year. He probably earned his way to stay on the team at the beginning of the year, but circumstances, and probably contract and all that other stuff, afford us the ability to get him more minutes down in the minors. But he's earned his way back, and we're going to need him."

Paquette said he had the feeling he'd get cut at the end of camp and just wanted to have a good start in Syracuse. He played against the Jets on a line with C Vladislav Namestnikov and RW Nikita Kucherov. "Obviously I'm more confident right now," he said. "It's great to have another opportunity."

ICE CHIPS: Gudas, who missed four games, returned to the lineup. Killorn skated for the second straight day but won't play this weekend. … C Valtteri Filppula and LW Ondrej Palat were the alternate captains Friday.

TWO-WAY: Before the game, Cooper said LW Jonathan Drouin had played a "really impressive two games for anybody stepping into the league" and the rookie, Filppula and Steven Stamkos formed a "dynamic line." In his third game, against the Jets, Drouin scored his first NHL goal in the second period and assisted on Stamkos' goal in the first. But what has impressed Cooper the most about Drouin is his work in the defensive zone: "He's not just flash. "If he wants to be a big-time player in this league, he's got to play both ends of the ice, and so far, so good after the first two games."