More serious problem that first anticipated for Lightning ahead of Game 3

The Tampa Bay Lightning sure look good against the Montreal Canadiens in the Stanley Cup final, leading the series 2-0 ahead of Game 3 later on tonight. 

While the Bolts are in good position to repeat at Stanley Cup winner in back-to-back seasons, it sounds like they will have to attempt to do so without an important player in their lineup. 

Ahead of Game 2, head coach Jon Cooper announced that Alex Killorn was day-to-day as he ended up missing the 3-1 win over the Habs. But it now sounds like the issue with Killorn is more serious than first anticipated as the forward will miss tonight’s contest. 

Killorn’s injury is likely to have come after Killorn blocked a shot from Habs defenseman Jeff Petry with his left ankle in the second period of Monday’s Game 1. He ended up playing just one shift in the third period. He has eight goals and nine assists for 17 points in 19 games for the Lightning so far these playoffs. He posted 15 goals and 18 assists in 56 games during the regular season.

The team knows this is a bigger problem than first expected : teammates Ondrej Palat called Killorn “a huge part of our team.” “Everybody will have to step up and fill his role,” Palat said.

For Game 2, Tampa Bay kept the standard configuration of 12 forwards for Game 2, rather than dress 11 up front and give the extra roster spot to the defense. Mathieu Joseph drew in up front and Cooper announced on Friday that there were no changes to his lineup for Game 3.