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Stamkos working on faceoffs, wants to be better two-way player

Steven Stamkos

One of the most dangerous goal-scorers in the game, Steven Stamkos has only been average when it comes to taking faceoffs.

In 2013, the Lightning’s 23-year-old sniper won just under half the 819 draws he took, finishing with a win rate of 49.6 percent. And after three games of the 2013-14 season, his win rate is a woeful 33.3 percent.

So he’s working on it.

Per the Tampa Bay Times, Stamkos has sought the advice of new teammate Valtteri Filppula, a center who won 55.4% of the draws he took last season for the Red Wings.

“The most important thing is to talk about it,” Filppula said. “There are a lot of ways to take faceoffs, so it’s tough to say one or two things you do. You need a little luck, too.”

Stamkos’ desire for improvement extends beyond the faceoff dot. By his comments, it’s clear he wants to be known as more than an offensive specialist.

“It’s the (penalty kill) and being out there when you’re up a goal late in the game, not being a liability defensively, playing solid at both ends of the rink,” Stamkos said. “That’s the player I want to be.”