Lightning's savvy offseason pickup of Jake Guentzel is paying off in NHL playoffs

SUNRISE, Fla.

Things turned nasty on Saturday, with Matthew Tkachuk predictably leading the way.

The smallest guy on the ice wasnt afraid.

He never is.

Jake Guentzel all 178 pounds of him was in the very middle of the violence during Saturdays crucial Game 3.

Matthew Tkachuk has been given a 5-minute major for this hit on Jake Guentzel before Tampa's ENG pic.twitter.com/gDHny5h8z2 B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 26, 2025 He was also all over the score sheet, like he always is in the playoffs.

The notoriously clutch Guentzel did it again, producing a goal and three points to lead Tampa Bay to a potentially series-altering 5-1 victory.

When the Lightning targeted him last summer, they made it clear that they didnt want him to be Steven Stamkos.

Rather, they just wanted him to be Guentzel.

Advertisement The most endearing trait on Guentzels considerable resume is his ability to elevate his play in the postseason.

Its happening again during his first season with the Lightning.

Tampa Bay has scored seven goals through three games in this series.

Guentzel has been on the ice for five of them, scoring twice and adding two primary assists.

You dont have to be 6-4, 220 pounds to be a star player in this league, Jon Cooper said.

He proves it.

Its the way you think the game and the size of your heart.

Guentzel long ago emerged as one of the NHLs clutch players while playing in Pittsburgh.

He scored 13 goals as a rookie during the 2017 postseason as the Penguins won the Stanley Cup.

If he is to get his name on the Cup in Tampa, more performances like this will be necessary.

With Guentzel in the postseason, theyre almost a given.

Hes proven it his whole career, Cooper said.

We didnt think hed stop (when we signed him.) Some Guentzel magic ignited the Lightning after a terrible start.

Late in the first period, with the Lightning down 1-0, a Guentzel forecheck led to a Florida turnover.

Nikita Kucherov, otherwise pretty quiet in this series thus far, turned Aleksander Barkov inside out, eventually finding Guentzel.

Then, Guentzel victimized another of the leagues best defensive players Sam Reinhart juking his way to the net before his shot snuck its way through Sergei Bobrovsky.

The goal was initially credited to Guentzel, but was later switched, as official scorers deemed that it touched Brayden Point on its way into the net.

One way or the other, the goal was largely Guentzels creation.

59 evens things up pic.twitter.com/Df8TQl1Scy x Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) April 26, 2025 In the second period, Guentzel was a force and was the only player on a two-on-one when Nick Paul scored the game-winner.

Guentzel needed only 21 seconds in the third period to increase the Tampa Bay lead, scoring his 40th playoff goal in only 72 career postseason outings.

He buried a gorgeous Kucherov feed to give the Lightning some breathing room.

A lovely reminder that Jake Guentzel is a Bolt pic.twitter.com/kjFhbCWEEw x Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) April 26, 2025 Something about this time of year has always brought out the best in Guentzel.

Its the best time to play, he said.

Theres nothing better than the Stanley Cup playoffs.

You cant take it for granted.

If you cant get up for these games, theres something wrong with you.

In a locker room filled with Stanley Cup champions and future Hall of Famers, its clear that Guentzel is already among the most highly regarded members of the Lightning.

Advertisement Even the oldest of players in the Tampa Bay locker room admire the way he plays, and the way he sacrifices his small frame in the game of scoring goals.

Hes an absolute gamer, Ryan McDonagh said.

He just competes.

He doesnt quit.

Reads the play so well.

High finishing ability.

He relishes these opportunities.

You can see why hes won before.

He was huge for us today.

Im looking forward to him just keep stepping up and playing the way he has all year.

Continued Guentzel excellence would seem like a requirement for Tampa Bay.

He was one of the best Lightning players all season, finishing the season with 41 goals and 80 points in 80 games.

Florida has been the best team throughout most of this series and, in fact, was dominant during the first period of this contest.

Florida is the bigger, faster and more physical team in this series.

If Tampa is going to pull off a series comeback make no mistake, winning in Sunrise on Saturday was a huge first step they are going to require continued contributions from their stars.

That skill level or star power, if you prefer is what makes the Lightning unique, what gives them an opportunity to beat any NHL team in a best-of-seven series.

Guentzel sounds like he knows it.

The Panthers have been extremely physical in this series with all of Tampa Bays best players, with Kucherov in particular absorbing the brunt of it.

Florida clearly targeted Guentzel on a few occasions as well.

They targeted him in an illegal manner as he was setting up Anthony Cirellis empty-netter that put the game away.

Long after Guentzel had released a pass to Cirelli, Thachuk obliterated Guentzel, which triggered a melee.

Guentzel appeared to be fine after the hit.

He also articulated his thoughts on Tampa Bay enhancing its performance on the occasions in which Florida turned to a nasty brand of hockey.

Advertisement Well let them run around, do that, Guentzel said.

Well just try to stick to it.

In other words, Guentzel isnt concerned about Tkachuks intimidation tactics or if Florida will bully him from time to time.

He just wants to win.

Guentzels new teammates loved his spirit.

Hes a warrior, Luke Glendening said.

Not a big guy, but he plays so hard every night.

Hes a heck of a hockey player.

McDonagh had referred to Guentzel as a gamer just a moment before.

Glendening is apparently on the same page.

Hes a gamer, he said.

Hes the definition of a gamer.

The Lightning hardly needed a reminder of what is required to win in the playoffs when they signed Guentzel.

Like Guentzel, the best Lightning players are owners of Stanley Cup rings.

And no one in Tampa is about to compare Guentzel to Stamkos, a franchise icon and a Hall of Fame shoo-in.

That doesnt mean, however, that Guentzel wasnt exactly what the Lightning, in their current state, needed.

This can certainly be said of Game 3 on Saturday.

Tampa Bay looked overwhelmed during the first period.

They looked a step slow.

They had no juice.

Florida was carrying the day and the Lightning felt awfully vulnerable.

They dont feel that way now.

Not with Jake Guentzel on their roster.

The bigger the moment, Glendening said, the bigger he plays.

(Photo: Carmen Mandato / Getty Images).

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