Lightning’s Nick Paul holds his own with Brayden Point, Nikita Kucherov

TAMPA — Lightning forward Nick Paul didn’t pass coach Jon Cooper’s initial eye test when it came to the 6-foot-3, 224-pounder’s skating abilities.

But all Cooper needed was a closer look to have a change of heart and mix up his lines once again, putting Paul on the top line with two of the league’s most dynamic players in Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point.

“He’s got hockey sense,” Cooper said of Paul earlier this month. “He’s a better skater than I thought. I’m not gonna sit here and say he’s the prettiest. … But he gets from A to B and he uses his body well. I’ve really liked his game, probably more than I thought it was going to.”

The coach likes having “big bodies” on all of his lines, so it’s a welcome opportunity to have one protecting some of his team’s most important players while also contributing to the line’s success.

“Playing with Point and Kuch isn’t easy,” Cooper said. “And it seems easy out there because they make it look easy when they’re playing. But you have to have a certain skill set and you have to have a mindset to know where you have to be on the ice, and a lot of times you have to go to some of those dirty areas because those guys have the puck so much. Paul’s shown a propensity to do all of those things.”

Nick Paul (20) looks for an open teammate against the Jets in the first period Saturday. [ LUIS SANTANA | Times ]

Over the past two games, the trio combined for 14 shots on goal and seven points (two coming from Paul) — even if things didn’t start so seamlessly.

Less than five minutes in against the Ducks, the first-line trio fought to keep the puck in the offensive zone. Point grabbed the puck on a turnover and raced toward the top of the slot, finding Kucherov on the right side for the one-timer.

The shot bounced off Anaheim goaltender Anthony Stolarz and to the left side of the ice toward Paul, who worked the puck back along the boards back to the right side. Point grabbed the rubber behind the net and sent it back to Kucherov on the right side.

But the puck didn’t stay on Kucherov’s stick for long as he fired a pass across the ice to the bottom of the slot. Paul raced to the net to catch the speeding puck, but was a tad late on his own one-timer, shooting wide of the net.

By Saturday’s game against Winnipeg, Paul’s chemistry with Kucherov and Point showed.

Trailing 4-2 more than halfway through the second period, Paul checked Winnipeg defenseman Josh Morrissey into the glass behind the Jets’ net. It forced the puck loose and a pass into the corner found Kucherov’s stick.

The winger quickly shuffled a back-handed pass to Paul, who waited at the top of the slot and sent a shot past goaltender Connor Hellebuyck.

Follow all the action on and off the ice

Subscribe to our free Lightning Strikes newsletter

We’ll send you news, analysis and commentary on the Bolts weekly during the season.

Loading…

You’re all signed up!

Want more of our free, weekly newsletters in your inbox? Let’s get started.

Explore all your options

Winnipeg’s lead was cut to one, and the Lightning continued to push as Kucherov scored the tying goal 4:07 later (the sequence starting with a pass from Paul to Kucherov) with some help from Victor Hedman.

“(Paul’s) a big guy,” Kucherov said after the 7-4 win. “He gets to the net a lot and he wins the puck. He plays simple so it’s fun to play with him.”

Simple is how Paul likes to keep his game. He’s watched enough of Kucherov and Point over the years to recognize he’s in good company on the ice, but he also knows the importance of maintaining that simplicity so they can work their “magic” night in and night out.

“They have lots of skill,” Paul said. “They’re unbelievable players, but for me, my game doesn’t change too much. I’m there because I play a certain way that’s creating space for them, creating battles, getting them the puck and giving them space to do their magic. …

“Just keep my head up and know when they’re open because when they get the puck, crazy things happen.”

Contact Mari Faiello at mfaiello@tampabay.com. Follow @faiello_mari.

• • •

The Tampa Bay Times has commemorated the Lightning’s second consecutive Stanley Cup title with a new hardcover coffee table book, Striking Twice. Order now.

Sign up for Lightning Strikes, a weekly newsletter from Bolts beat writer Eduardo A. Encina that brings you closer to the ice.

Never miss out on the latest with the Bucs, Rays, Lightning, Florida college sports and more. Follow our Tampa Bay Times sports team on Twitter and Facebook.