Lightning's Stamkos practices, hopeful for Game 1 return

Tampa Bay Lightning star Steven Stamkos (lower body) said he hopes to be ready for Game 1 of the team's first-round playoff series against the New Jersey Devils on Thursday.

Stamkos missed the final three games of the regular season due to the injury. He was a full participant in practice Monday, centering a line between Nikita Kucherov and J.T. Miller.

"It felt nice to be back out on the ice," said Stamkos. "Definitely a step in the right direction. I felt pretty good, all things considered. It was good to be out there with the guys. The fun time of the year starts right now."

Stamkos left the Lightning's 4-1 loss to the Predators on April 1 in the second period after getting tangled up with Nashville forward Austin Watson. He was ruled day-to-day with the lower-body injury, and coach Jon Cooper said previously that he might let the 28-year-old sit out the final three games in order to focus on recovering.

"I kept checking up on him during the practice and he said he was feeling good," Cooper said Monday, "so we're definitely hopeful."

Stamkos had 27 goals and 59 assists in 78 regular-season games. His 86 points were second on the team, behind Kucherov's 100.

During Tampa Bay's last playoff run in 2015-16, Stamkos appeared in only one game, Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Pittsburgh Penguins, after having surgery to treat a blood clot near his right collarbone.

--Field Level Media