The Stamkos Cameo

Steven Stamkos, who played in Game Three and scored a goal in limited time on the ice, did not take the ice tonight for Game Four nor was he included on the game roster. He was ruled out by the team before the game, and his inclusion for further games now goes back into question for the remainder of the series. Getting Stamkos back into the lineup seemed to energize the Lightning who earned the win in Game Three. Knowing that Stamkos is out tonight, will we see him again this season? It seems doubtful after Lightning head coach Jon Cooper's comments following Game Three's limited ice time for Stamkos, but we'll have to wait and see what the Lightning decide.

Prior to the game tonight, Cooper didn't rule Stamkos out for the remainder of the season. "He's not going to play, but we haven't ruled him out for the series," Cooper told reporters. "But he's not going to play tonight."

For me, it's hard to see Stamkos back after he played less than three minutes of action in Game Three and isn't dressing for Game Four. Maybe he will be after tonight's game, particularly in the back-to-back games we're seeing on Friday and Saturday, but it's hard for me to believe that he's truly healthy enough to play after he sat on the bench for more than two periods in Game Three.

It's believed that Stamkos suffered a setback after trying to get ready for the NHL restart following surgery in March for a core muscle injury. While Stamkos looked good in his 2:47 of ice time, one has to wonder if that rush he made when he scored his goal re-aggravated the injury in some way, forcing him to sit for the remainder of the game. If this is the case, Stamkos' season is likely over.

It's currently 2-0 for Dallas in the first period, so maybe the Lightning could use that boost they got from Stamkos they got in Game Three. This game is far from over, though, so we'll see how it finishes up. The one thing we do know about this series moving forward, though, is that Stamkos' inclusion will likely be a 50-50 from here on in.

If that was his only appearance in these playoffs, however, that's a pretty good way to remember the 2:47 he played as he scored a big goal and helped Tampa Bay take a 2-1 series lead.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!