Dominic Moore, NHL playoff regular

Before reaching the Eastern Conference Finals with the Montreal Canadiens last year,Dominic Moore had about as much playoff experience as a rookie.

He played four games with the New York Rangers in the 2006 postseason, when they got swept by the New Jersey Devils in the first round. He had about the same impact on the score sheet as a spectator, recording zero points.

After being acquired at the 2010 trade deadline, however, Moore was a part of an unlikely playoff run with the Habs that knocked off the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins in the first two rounds of the playoffs.

On their third line, he potted just five points in 19 games, but when he did, he affected the outcome of the game. Moore scored the game-winning goal in Game 7 against the Capitals, completing a comeback from a 3-1 deficit in their first-round series.

He irritated his opposition like a rash, drawing penalties and jawing at players until they succumbed to his itchiness.

Simply change the jersey, climate and contract and Moore is doing the same for the Tampa Bay Lightning in this year’s playoffs.

The Bolts have beaten the Capitals and Penguins – ironically, for Moore – to reach the Eastern Conference Finals.

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It’s safe to say the Thornhill, Ontario native is slowly becoming one of the finest rental players in the league – a player who is best serviceable to Stanley Cup-bound squads.

In the 2011 playoffs, the Lightning have four scorers not named Martin St. Louis or Vincent Lecavalier ranked in the top 25 – more than any other team that’s still in contention.

Moore’s third line, with pariah Steve Downie and left winger Sean Bergenheim, has accounted for 26 percent of Tampa Bay’s scoring in the postseason. Bergenheim has been fed passes from his centerman as if they’ve been playing together for years, most notably from behind the net.

Heading into the playoffs, though, not many people would’ve have picked the Lightning to advance to the final four, despite the fact that, through a dominant third line, Tampa Bay has a prerequisite for any legitimate Cup run: depth.

When the Chicago Blackhawks ended a 49-year Cup drought in 2010, players like Dave Bolland and Dustin Byfuglien added 32 points to captain Jonathan Toews’ 29. In 2009, grinder Maxim Talbot scored Pittsburgh’s only two goals in Game 7 against the Detroit Red Wings to win the Cup.

Moore, scorer of eight points in 11 playoff games, has proven to be a game changer in more ways than one. Even though he’s been more of a set-up man than a lamp lighter so far, Moore has been influential in the outcome of almost every game this postseason.

And when he’s not carrying the puck, he’s luring opponents into the penalty box.

In Game 2 against the Penguins, Moore drew three penalties, two of which resulted in power play markers. Bill Mayer, writer at Pens Labyrinth, wrote in a blog post that Moore was “infuriating” him.

“One minute,” Mayer typed, “you wanted somebody to take his head off (legally of course). The next minute, you were hoping the Penguins wouldn’t retaliate.”

Now, his performances haven’t come out of nowhere. Moore’s play in the regular season gave the Lightning reason to believe he could boost a Cup push. He scored more goals (18) than any other season in his career and racked up 32 points in 77 games.

At 30 years old, the former third-round pick is finally finding his niche.

He has played with eight teams in seven years, a journeyman who has played for both Original Six and expansion teams, and has never played more than two seasons with one club. If he’s rental player, he’s a fine one.

And if credit is due to Moore, it’s well overdue for Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman.

Yzerman has turned a team that hadn’t won a post-season series since 2004 into a legitimate threat in 2011. He signed St. Louis to a contract extension and traded for veteran leadership in Dwayne Roloson. Perhaps most notably, Yzerman inked Moore to a two-year contract.

Dominic Moore set his footprints on the doorstep of the Stanley Cup final last year. He’ll be trying to push the Lightning through the door this time around.

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