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The Lightning players who strike fear in their peers

The goalie you don’t want to see in a 1-on-1? How about defenseman? Best passer to set up a one-timer? Player you want on your team in overtime with everything on the line?
 
Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) makes a save on Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane (88) during an All-Star Game skills challenge in 2018.
Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) makes a save on Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane (88) during an All-Star Game skills challenge in 2018. [ DIRK SHADD | Times ]
Published April 13, 2020

Andrei Vasilevskiy’s not-so-secret weapon when it comes to shutting down opponents? His legs, you’ve got to watch out for those legs.

“I’ve had some breakaways against him, and you think you have him beat and he just kicks out his leg,” Chicago forward Patrick Kane said. “You have to beat him, and then raise it, but you can’t raise it too much because his body’s over there, as well. His legs are so long and athletic.”

Winnipeg’s Mark Scheifele and the Islanders’ Mathew Barzal quickly agreed, though Kane and Scheifele also are not overly fond of facing Montreal’s Carey Price.

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Vasilevskiy was one of four Lightning players highlighted in Monday’s NHL conference call with Barzal, Kane and Scheifele.

When Barzal was asked to name the defenseman he didn’t want to go up against in a one-on-one situation, it didn’t take too long for him to think about that question either: Victor Hedman.

“He’s just so long and smooth,” the center said. “His gap’s always perfect and if you try to take him wide, he’s 6-6 so you’re not really getting around him.

"There’s just not much room out there against him. He’s not going to physically punish you, maybe like (Montreal’s Shea) Weber will, but he’s just always in your grill and just poking at the puck.”

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The conversation also brought up the forward these players would like to pair up with in a one-timer situation where the other guy has the puck for the setup. Scheifele said Lightning captain Steven Stamkos would be his “other guy.”

“He’s not known for his passing, but I’ve skated with him a lot over the years," Scheifele said. “He does this little two-on-one pass that’s a little nifty.”

Scheifele said his first choice would be teammate Blake Wheeler, but since naming a teammate was against the rules he wanted to go with someone who is able to manipulate the angle a little better.

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When it comes to an overtime situation where a playoff berth is at stake and it’s the last game of the regular season, Barzal said he’d like to have Edmonton’s Conor McDavid and Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov on his line.

“If we’re trying to score on the first shift, I’m going to go with me, McDavid and Kucherov,” Barzal said. “I think that could be lethal.”

Contact Mari Faiello at mfaiello@tampabay.com. Follow @faiello_mari.