Grading Carl Lindbom's debut against the Tampa Bay Lightning

Vegas Golden Knights fans heard the good news, seeing their beloved prospect, Carl Lindbom, take the ice on Sunday. He took his rookie lap in Tampa, delighting the visiting fans storming into Benchmark International Arena. Some could say it was historic, considering how far the revered prospect has come in his hockey days.

Ahh, that's the stuff that makes hockey a wholesome sport. While that's great and all, that could be a forgotten moment should Lindbom not pan out.

That's especially true when you're facing a vaunted Tampa Bay Lightning team known for scoring. We're talking about superstars such as former Hart Memorial Trophy winner Nikita Kucherov (37 goals and 84 assists last season), Brayden Point (42 goals and 40 assists), and Brandon Hagel (35 goals and 55 assists). Yeah, they might've started off slow, even getting their first home win on Saturday against the Anaheim Ducks. However, this was the same squad led by Jon Cooper that won back-to-back Stanley Cups a few years ago.

Therefore, it was with good reason that Lindbom was in for a challenge. How was he going to stop a Russian superstar and excellent forwards from scoring on him? That's like trying to stop a bullet train with your entire body.

You. Just. Can't. Do. It.

But let's look at our beloved Swedish prospect and see how he did. Did Lindbom crack under the pressure or was he as good as advertised? It might've taken a bit for the prospect to get going. Still, fans were genuinely surprised at what transpired on Sunday.

Grading Carl Lindbom's debut with the Vegas Golden Knights against the Tampa Bay Lightning

Stopping 26 of 28 shots against an offensively strong team is nothing to scoff at, specifically if it's a rookie. Normally, young players crack under such pressure from seeing superstars like Kucherov, Point, and Guentzel. However, that wasn't the case with Lindbom, who was his normal self.

Instead, he got a point for his stellar performance, nearly stealing the game in the process. Add in Tampa being a rough place for any team to play and that adds to that wow factor from Sunday's performance. Instead of a doom-and-gloom trip with no points, it's one point with a chance for two on Tuesday.

Let's be honest. Lindbom deserved one of the three stars from Sunday's game. He was phenomenal against a tough Lightning attack and covered the net exceptionally well. His quick angles and cerebral play were on full display (Rhymes Like Dimes!) on Sunday, earning a point for the Golden Knights.

Besides, the Swedish prospect wasn't the main reason why Vegas lost in overtime. It was a lackluster attack that had two shots in the second period. Overall, Andrei Vasilevskiy was barely challenged as Tampa outshot Vegas, 28-19.

Still, that adds more luster to Lindbom's name. He withstood a Lightning barrage and was beaten by a more experienced Nikita Kucherov. That's not something the rookie goaltender should look down. Instead, Sunday's game is a sign of greater things to come.