Lightning's Jonathan Drouin returns after illness

TAMPA — LW Jonathan Drouin started to feel sick Christmas night.

Drouin, 19, said he didn't experience the stomach pain that bothered teammates C Tyler Johnson and D Radko Gudas during their recent bugs. But Drouin had no energy or appetite and figured he had the flu or a cold.

With the NHL going through a mumps outbreak, it was natural to fear the worst.

"My mom was freaking out a little bit, 'You have the mumps?'" Drouin said with a smile. "I'm like, 'No.' It's nice that it wasn't the mumps and I'm ready to play."

Drouin, who missed Saturday's game with the illness, returned Monday against the Maple Leafs, back on the top line with C Steven Stamkos. Drouin spent Saturday at home, but felt good enough Sunday to ride an exercise bike and participated in Monday's morning skate.

Banged up: LW Ondrej Palat was considered a game-time decision but ended up playing 17:23. Palat missed four games this month with a lower-body injury.

"He's just a little banged up," coach Jon Cooper said. "It's a whole conglomerate of things, and with the way he plays I'm surprised he does not get banged up earlier in the season. But it's a couple of nagging things that have flared up on him."

Getting close: D Jason Garrison missed his third straight game with an unspecified injury suffered Dec. 20 against the Islanders.

Cooper had hoped Garrison would be back Monday, but he had a little setback in Sunday's practice. Cooper said Garrison is close to returning, possibly Wednesday in Buffalo.

"I'm kind of bummed out, I thought he was going to be able to come back tonight but now he can't, so I went from an optimist to a pessimist in a quick 15-minute skate,'' Cooper said.

Powerless: The Lightning power play entered Monday's game in a 3-for-43 funk, but the team is confident it can snap out of it.

And Tampa Bay gained some confidence Monday after RW Ryan Callahan's goal with the man advantage. He swatted in a rebound off C Steven Stamkos' shot in the second period.

"We knew it was going to come eventually," Stamkos said. "We talked about it before the game, simplify, get some shots. That was a big goal for us."

Ice chips: G Ben Bishop made his second straight start. … RW J.T. Brown was scratched. … Hedman and RW Ryan Callahan were alternate captains. Former Lightning LW Richard Panik did not play for Toronto.

Minor matters: First-round pick D Anthony DeAngelo is plus-one with an assist and eight shots in three games for Team USA (2-0-1) at the World Junior tournament. Third-round pick Brayden Point has a goal and an assist in two games for Canada (2-0) heading into late Monday's game. Second-round pick D Dominik Masin is minus-2 in three games for the Czech Republic (0-2-1).

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