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SALT LAKE CITY — Mikhail Sergachev said that Saturday’s game against the Lightning, his first against his former team since he was traded to Utah last summer, hasn’t been circled on his calendar. Other than the fact that he has long been looking forward to dinner in Salt Lake City with best friends Nikita Kucherov and Andrei Vasilevskiy.
“How could I not?” Sergachev said when asked if he had dinner plans with the two Friday night.
It’s probably a good thing that Sergachev hasn’t faced his past until now. He has a different role in Utah. He wears an alternate captain A. His experience and voice commands respect in a young dressing room. And he is focused on doing his part to guide Utah to the postseason in its first season since relocation to Salt Lake City.
“I’m not (upset) actually,” Sergachev said Friday afternoon following practice at the Utah Olympic Oval. “I’m happy where I am. So it’s not like I’m going to go out there extra hard to show (general manager) Julian BriseBois the kind of player he gave up. It’s not like that at all.
“I’m just happy to play against my former team. It’s going to be a fun challenge for us as a group to play against Tampa, because they’re one of the best top-five teams in the league.”
Utah entered the weekend four points out of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Sergachev has played a big part, bringing his experience of what it takes to win a Stanley Cup to Utah.
“Sergy is a hockey player,” said Utah coach Andre Tourigny. “He’s a student of the game. He knows the game. He understands the game. He understands the game inside the game. So he understood there was an opportunity for him to be a No. 1. ...
“It was an opportunity for him to take on a leadership role. Tampa is a veteran team who have guys who were established leaders on that team. So I think coming here for him, it was an opportunity to establish himself in that core of leadership, and he did.”
If anything, Sergachev is looking forward to competing against Kucherov and Vasilevskiy at the Delta Center.
“I want that challenge,” he said. “I want to play against Kuch. I see what he’s like in practice, but in a game it’s different.”
Sergachev made it clear that he wouldn’t celebrate if he scored on Vasilevskiy, even though he said Vasilevskiy encouraged him to.
The Lightning’s 3-2 shootout win over the Stars on Thursday night played out a lot like a game four years ago.
Tampa Bay blew a two-goal lead in Dallas in a game that went to a shootout, and coach Jon Cooper tapped a rookie to take a penalty shot with the game on the line and he came through to give Tampa Bay two points.
In 2021, it was Ross Colton who ended up becoming a key middle-six piece for the Lightning on their Stanley Cup-winning team, scoring the decisive goal in the championship-clinching game against Montreal. On Thursday, it was Gage Goncalves, who beat Casey DeSmith in the fourth round of the shootout.
Much like Colton in 2021, it’s clear that the Lightning will need Goncalves down the stretch and throughout a potential playoff run in a third-line role. Being tapped to perform in such a big moment — and coming through — does a lot of a young player’s confidence.
“(Cooper) just tapped me on the back and said, ‘Go end it,’ and I was really happy it went in,” Goncalves said.
Goncalves has become a regular third-line player in the Tampa Bay lineup since returning from AHL Syracuse on Feb. 18. That is a line the Lightning will look to get scoring depth from, whether it is centered by Nick Paul or Yanni Gourde along with newcomer Oliver Bjorkstrand on the wing.
at Utah, 5 Saturday TV/radio: FanDuel Sports Sun; 102.5-FM
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“How could I not?” Sergachev said when asked if he had dinner plans with the two Friday night.
It’s probably a good thing that Sergachev hasn’t faced his past until now. He has a different role in Utah. He wears an alternate captain A. His experience and voice commands respect in a young dressing room. And he is focused on doing his part to guide Utah to the postseason in its first season since relocation to Salt Lake City.
“I’m not (upset) actually,” Sergachev said Friday afternoon following practice at the Utah Olympic Oval. “I’m happy where I am. So it’s not like I’m going to go out there extra hard to show (general manager) Julian BriseBois the kind of player he gave up. It’s not like that at all.
“I’m just happy to play against my former team. It’s going to be a fun challenge for us as a group to play against Tampa, because they’re one of the best top-five teams in the league.”
Utah entered the weekend four points out of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Sergachev has played a big part, bringing his experience of what it takes to win a Stanley Cup to Utah.
“Sergy is a hockey player,” said Utah coach Andre Tourigny. “He’s a student of the game. He knows the game. He understands the game. He understands the game inside the game. So he understood there was an opportunity for him to be a No. 1. ...
“It was an opportunity for him to take on a leadership role. Tampa is a veteran team who have guys who were established leaders on that team. So I think coming here for him, it was an opportunity to establish himself in that core of leadership, and he did.”
If anything, Sergachev is looking forward to competing against Kucherov and Vasilevskiy at the Delta Center.
“I want that challenge,” he said. “I want to play against Kuch. I see what he’s like in practice, but in a game it’s different.”
Sergachev made it clear that he wouldn’t celebrate if he scored on Vasilevskiy, even though he said Vasilevskiy encouraged him to.
A time to lean on rookies
The Lightning’s 3-2 shootout win over the Stars on Thursday night played out a lot like a game four years ago.
Tampa Bay blew a two-goal lead in Dallas in a game that went to a shootout, and coach Jon Cooper tapped a rookie to take a penalty shot with the game on the line and he came through to give Tampa Bay two points.
In 2021, it was Ross Colton who ended up becoming a key middle-six piece for the Lightning on their Stanley Cup-winning team, scoring the decisive goal in the championship-clinching game against Montreal. On Thursday, it was Gage Goncalves, who beat Casey DeSmith in the fourth round of the shootout.
Much like Colton in 2021, it’s clear that the Lightning will need Goncalves down the stretch and throughout a potential playoff run in a third-line role. Being tapped to perform in such a big moment — and coming through — does a lot of a young player’s confidence.
“(Cooper) just tapped me on the back and said, ‘Go end it,’ and I was really happy it went in,” Goncalves said.
Goncalves has become a regular third-line player in the Tampa Bay lineup since returning from AHL Syracuse on Feb. 18. That is a line the Lightning will look to get scoring depth from, whether it is centered by Nick Paul or Yanni Gourde along with newcomer Oliver Bjorkstrand on the wing.
Up next
at Utah, 5 Saturday TV/radio: FanDuel Sports Sun; 102.5-FM
• • •
Sign up for the Sports Today newsletter to get daily updates on the Bucs, Rays, Lightning and college football across Florida.
Never miss out on the latest with your favorite Tampa Bay sports teams. Follow our coverage on Instagram, X and Facebook.
Continue reading...
