Friday, 4 a.m.
It is the time for the big kids, for the stars of the game.
When they are not in a shootout, you can find their ilk in the highlights, or in the headlines. They are the essential names of hockey, the all-stars who take over when the game gets down to the gritty.
What, then, was Gage Goncalves doing here?
Besides, you know, winning the game.
The Bolts defeated an excellent Dallas team Thursday night, winning 3-2 in a shootout. The Bolts took a 2-0 lead in regulation, and fell behind 2-1 in the shootout. Then it was on the stick of Goncalves, and the kid scored the first shootout goal of his career.
But what in the world could Lightning coach Jon Cooper have seen in Goncalves to make him tap him on the shoulder anyway?
Goncalves, 24, had only four goals on the year. Cooper still had Brandon Hagel, Anthony Cirelli, Nick Paul, Yanni Gourde and Victor Hedman available. But after Nikita Kucherov scored to tie the shootout at two goals each, it was his moment.
"Gage is a good player," Cooper said. "Just because he hasn’t been in the NHL that long doesn’t mean he can't put it in the net. I have faith in the kid. He came through for us.:
The Bolts played well against Dallas, which had won eight straight at home.
Hagel scored the first goal of the night and Cirelli the second. But Dallas came back on goals by Oskar Back and Mason Marchment to tie. Dallas goaltender Casey DeSmith made 36 saves to keep the Stars in the game.
The Bolts remain two points behind both Florida and Toronto, both of whom won Thursday night.
Tampa Bay plays at Utah at 5 p.m. on Saturday.