The most prolific scorer in the Canisius University hockey program's history, Cory Conacher has made a big impression during preseason camp with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Playing on a line with NHL All-Stars Martin St. Louis and Steven Stamkos, Conacher scored his first goal with the team in his first NHL contest. The Burlington, Ontario native netted a game-tying third-period power-play goal to add to his already impressive preseason resume.
"You can see he keeps up with the play, he's got skill and can skate," said Tampa Bay General Manager Steve Yzerman. "I think he's strong. He's not a big guy, but he's strong and we are encouraged by what we see in him.''
"He made a statement that he's not intimidated by the size and the speed of the game," coach Guy Boucher said. "It was a new level of adaptation for him. Can he keep it up? That's another question. He's one of those guys we have to take a close look at. He wants to stay. ... He's got character, speed and skill. That's a very good mix."
"You don't have to show you can hit and this or that, you just have to show you can play hockey and he's shown that,'' St. Louis said about Conacher. "He's a good little hockey player. This is his first training camp and you see similarities obviously in the size. He's a quick guy and looks pretty hungry out there."
During his four-year career with the Golden Griffins, Conacher set or matched 12 career, single-season and single game records. The 2009-10 Atlantic Hockey Player of the Year, he owns the program's standards of 147 points, 62 goals and 12 game-winning tallies. He also set the school's records with 53 points and 33 assists during his junior campaign, while breaking the goals mark with 23 in his senior campaign.
