Jason Pominville's hat trick in Tampa gives him 21 goals which is one more than he scored in 82 games last season. Pominville has taken a lot of heat the past two season for not producing offensively and much of it has been warranted. What the winger does do is come through when it's crunch time.

If you add up his late totals the past four seasons you get 38 goals and 57 assists for 95 points in 84 games. This season he has 5 goals and 4 assists in his last 5 games and 10 goals and 13 assists in his last 23. (He may get one more assist on Derek Roy's shorthanded goal in Tampa Bay) Last season he scored 6 goals and 12 assists for 18 points in his final 13 games, the year before it was 11 goals and 18 assists for 29 points in his last 24 games while the year before that it was 11 goals and 14 assists for 25 points in his final 24 games. These are all regular season totals.

Pominville said, "It's tough to find an explanation. I think the last couple of years we were battling for a playoff spot and I felt as an individual I had to step up and that's a role I'm capable of doing like producing offensively I mean that's when you should be at your peak to try to get yourself ready for the post season. Unfortunately the last two season just weren't good enough. This year we're making a push and trying to get ourselves ready for when it really counts. Pominville added, "Every offensive player goes through steaks, whether you're Ovechkin or Crosby an elite player or just an offensive player, you'll go through those streaks, it's trying to limit them. I think this year I've done a better job at being more consistent and I haven't had to deal with those streaks I went through last year where I went something like 13 without scoring." It was 17 games he went without a goal last season. This year his longest drought has been 7 games.

very. pominville is a valuable player, no doubt. of course, hes not a first line talent that should be built around, and nor should he be making more then 3.5 million a year.

but as a player, he can be a huge asset. and just as well, sometimes he makes me punch myself in the nuts.

Like many players on this team, he wouldn't be getting nearly as much heat for his short-comings if he were just paid a more reasonable amount. He'd still have the same issues, but we'd have found someone else to bash by now. He's a good player, but has overpaiditis.

He has been stepping up as of late. great thing to see so hopefully he can keep it up!

I think I'll always have a soft spot for him after this moment...

I don't think there's much too it. If there is, and Pominville really is "turning it on" late, then 1) it's been too little too late the last two seasons and 2) he's just taking his spot as another poster child for playing hard only when they HAVE to. That's not good enough.

Well, I was going to post a picture of the Welcome to Buffalo sign that somebody changed to read, "Welcome to Pominville," but I'm shocked to say I can't find a picture of that anywhere.

Point being, Pominville has fans for a reason. He'll piss us all off during the season, but when the stretch runs come where we need big goals and consistency, he always seems to answer the call.

I always felt he should have been given the same deal as Roy. Good to see the numbers down the stretch. Its pretty impressive actually.

PS Motzie, I think we all have a soft spot for Pomms after that goal. And I love the fact that it was a shorty too.