The Tampa Bay Lightning will be without one of their bottom-six stalwarts for Game 5 of their series against the Montreal Canadiens.
Nick Paul has been a key part of the Lightning's fourth line this season, despite his offensive production taking quite a downturn compared to prior seasons.
Unfortunately for the Lightning though, they'll be missing his presence in Game 5 of their first round matchup, as Paul was a late scratch due to illness. Paul's spot will be filled by 21-year-old forward Conor Geekie, who the Lightning recalled back on April 19.
In 51 regular season games this season, Paul scored seven goals and 15 total points while being a responsible player in his own end. In the playoffs, the 31-year-old forward failed to record a point and was getting less and less ice time as the series progressed. In Games 3 and 4, he played less than eight minutes per night.
Despite spending the majority of his season with the Syracuse Crunch, Geekie has shown signs of being NHL ready in his young career. He's already played one game during this postseason, as he was in the lineup in Game 1.