TAMPA, Fla. -- They're back from the West, and they want more.
The Tampa Bay Lightning completed a 3-2 West Coast trip on Sunday, and they answered a few questions along the way. They survived physical teams. They fought with grit of their own. They kept pace in a tight Atlantic Division race. They escaped without sustaining a severe wound.
What's the takeaway?
Well, it depends on perspective. Earning six points in five games is a solid development, but the potential was there for more. Still, the Lightning did little to damage their chances with a home-heavy schedule to come in the month ahead.
Recently, Sun Sports analyst Bobby Taylor spoke about Tampa Bay's play from the road trip plus other topics as the Lightning prepare to enter March.
FOX SPORTS FLORIDA: The Lightning finished their five-game West Coast trip. What questions did you have going into the swing, and did they answer them?
TAYLOR: ''I was kind of concerned with how they were going to handle heavy play. It's funny -- that's the new way of saying, 'They're much more physical out there,' the teams that we were playing were much more physical. Usually, San Jose can match our speed, but they hit a little bit more often. LA is not as fast. Anaheim is fast. That's what I was a little nervous about, because we've always had trouble lately with that out there, their heaviness. They just kind of seemed to steamroll us. They didn't. I thought it was the other way around. We handled that better than anything, I thought.
''I think they're really a determined group. I think these guys are really hell-bent on proving to people that we're not just a high-scoring team. We're a fast team that can play a complete game. Obviously, I think in a seven-game series, I would still have a little concern in (playing a physical team), because you can get tired in a hurry. But if (the Lightning) use their speed, boy, I tell you what, that second period in Anaheim, I'm sure those guys were wondering, 'What the hell hit us?' ... I was pleasantly surprised, because I was really nervous about how we were going to handle the bigger teams, and we did.''
FSF: With success on the West Coast trip, how noticeable is the growth of this team?
TAYLOR: ''The consistency is starting to become a little bit better now. I mean, the power play is absolutely awful. Absolutely awful. But the penalty killing has really been good. One of the things when it comes to special teams, the percentages should add up to 100. They're just over 100 now (17.1 percent on the power play and 83.3 on the penalty kill). If it adds up to 100, you can live with that. For me, with a team that relies on speed ... if you get into a series, if your power play is working, that takes away that aggressive play, because players are a little nervous about taking penalties. So I would love to see that get a little bit better.
''I think the growth of this team has really been strong. I think guys are starting to figure out how they have to play in this league in order to stay in this league. Like, Brett Connolly, I thought, had a great West Coast trip. I mean, he used his size. I really was impressed with him this trip. Here's a kid, a first-round pick (in 2010), and he was supposed to be a big scorer. ... It takes awhile for these young guys to adjust, because they think what you do in juniors you're going to do in the NHL. That's what's going on with (Jonathan) Drouin right now. He's got to learn how to play in this game, and he can't dominate like he did in juniors. And it's going to take awhile for him to figure it out.''
FSF: What are your thoughts on goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy's performance with Tampa Bay so far?
TAYLOR: ''I really like him. I think this guy's going to be a superstar. ... I like him. I really like the way he follows the puck and how patient he is with it. He waits for it to come to him. He's not finding the puck. If you see him looking all over the place sometimes and not being sure where the puck is, then you know he's not quite on his game, because I think that's his strength -- his ability to find the puck in traffic and to follow the puck after the shot is coming. He makes adjustments on deflections, and he knows where the rebounds are going. He's really good, I think. The kid is going to get better. The kid will just get better when he gets more experience. He'll make the plays even better as he gets older, and that's going to be terrible for shooters.''
FSF: The NHL trade deadline is next Monday at 3 p.m. Will Steve Yzerman make a move? What's your prediction?
TAYLOR: ''Well, we've always talked about getting a little more experience back on the blue line. Matty Carle should be back in a little while. We've had some pretty good young players. But the thing of it is, at this stage of his career right now, Matty Carle is a 21-minute guy. Now you've got a guy, let's say, for instance (Andrej) Sustr, he plays 14, 15 minutes a game. Now he has to play 18, 19 minutes a game. You've got (Nikita) Nesterov, who was not here for a while, even though he has played pretty decently. You've got guys who have to play more minutes now, and sometimes, that doesn't work at this point in their careers.
''If someone was a 16- or 17-year guy right now, that's perfect for you. Those guys that haul those 20 minutes or 22 minutes, they're used to it, they're steady with it, it doesn't bother them. I think even with (Anton) Stralman, I'd rather see him play 20, 21 (minutes) than the 23, 24 he has to play now, because he's not a big guy, and I don't want to get him worn out before the playoffs. It's not so much the ability and the inexperience. It's just the more minutes you have to play now, I don't think the first- and second-year guys are really ready for that at this stage in their careers.
''But in the history of this team, they don't get a guy to just get a guy. They get a guy that can be here for a while if he's really going to help the team. Let's put it this way: I wouldn't be surprised either way, if he makes a deal or if he doesn't make a deal.''
FSF: The Lightning, who own a 22-6-1 record at Amalie Arena, have nine home games in March. How crucial is defending home ice in the last full month of the regular season?
TAYLOR: ''I think you want to finish as high as you can, obviously, for that home ice because we are so good on home ice. And I think that's the main thing. I have no doubt that they're going to make the playoffs. But I'd love to see them finish in the one-two spot (in the Atlantic Division), at least, because you're going to have the home ice. If you don't get the No. 1 spot, and you get the No. 2 spot, you play the third team so the two spot gets the home ice. For me, I'd like to see them finish one or two just to make sure they get it. This homestand will be a big jump for that. If they can really maintain (home-ice advantage), like they have all year long, they've got a really good shot to finish one or two.''
You can follow Andrew Astleford on Twitter @aastleford or email him at aastleford@gmail.com.
