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Lightning: Injuries to Johnson, Hedman not considered long-term

 
Lightning center Vladislav Namestnikov, above, was called back up in the wake of an injury to All-Star forward Tyler Johnson.
Lightning center Vladislav Namestnikov, above, was called back up in the wake of an injury to All-Star forward Tyler Johnson.
Published Jan. 14, 2015

BOSTON — The Lightning is encouraged that lower body injuries to C Tyler Johnson and D Victor Hedman won't sideline them long term.

Coach Jon Cooper said the two key players could return before next weekend's All-Star break. Johnson is considered day to day, with Hedman a little behind, Cooper said. Both were hurt Monday, and didn't play Tuesday against Boston.

"They were freak things," Cooper said. "They weren't dirty plays, they weren't anything like that. It was the grind of the season, getting caught in the wrong place, wrong time. It (stinks)."

With Johnson out, the Lightning recalled C Vladislav Namestnikov on Tuesday to help provide depth.

Namestnikov, 22, started the season with the Lightning but got sent down last month because of a glut at forward. Namestnikov, who made the AHL All-Star team, replaced Johnson on the top power-play unit and played on a line with LW Jonathan Drouin and Cedric Paquette against the Bruins.

"We're going to need him," Cooper said.

Tuesday, C Steven Stamkos took Johnson's spot on a line with RW Nikita Kucherov and LW Ondrej Palat.

Backing up: Backup G Evgeni Nabokov was pulled in the second period of Monday's 7-3 loss to the Flyers after allowing four goals in 13 shots.

But after watching the tape, Cooper said his team played worse than he thought.

Still, Nabokov's struggles as the backup (3-6-2, 3.14 goals against, .882 save percentage in nine starts), raise the question of when and if the 39-year-old would get another start.

"We brought Nabby in here to be a guy that can help groom our younger guys and give us quality starts," Cooper said. "He's given us a lot of quality starts and he's given us some he'd probably like to have back. He's played in some tough situations, played in some back-ends of some games, he's also played in some games that we expected better. It's probably been a little bit of a roller coaster ride for him.

"It's a way different situation because he's never been in this situation before."

That being said, don't be surprised if Andrei Vasilevskiy, who impressed in four NHL starts and continues to shine at AHL Syracuse, gets another spot start or two down the line.

"At some point you're looking who is giving us the best chance to win," Cooper said. "If Vasy falls into that, well then it definitely has to be considered."

Switching up: With the Lightning down to five defensemen the final two periods Monday, C Brian Boyle took a few shifts as a defenseman.

"It was interesting," Boyle said. "Just tried to do whatever I could. I tried to keep it simple. It's way different, the neutral-zone stuff. I was very comfortable, all things considered."

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Boyle has experience, having filled in on defense at Boston College. When Boyle started as a pro with the Kings organization, he played defense in the AHL before switching back to forward.

"Who knows? Maybe he found a new position,'' Cooper joked. "But it's good to have a guy that can play both."

Ice chips: RW Brett Connolly was a healthy scratch as RW J.T. Brown returned to the lineup.

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