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Tomas Tatar ranks fourth on the Red Wings with 10 games during his first full NHL season.

(The Associated Press)

DETROIT – The past 10 days have been emotionally taxing and physically exhausting for Detroit Red Wings forward Tomas Tatar.

He lost his father and traveled thousands of miles, from the West Coast to Slovakia for the funeral and back to Detroit.

Through it all, he continues playing the best hockey of his brief NHL career. He is skating hard, he has been strong on the puck and he is generating scoring chances for a team that is starved for offense.

Tatar scored the lone shootout goal in Saturday's 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings at Joe Louis Arena.

The injury-depleted Red Wings (21-17-10) are counting on Tatar to be an offensive catalyst again on Monday, when they host the St. Louis Blues (7:30 p.m., Fox Sports Detroit).

Teammates are impressed by his resolve.

“With what he’s gone through it’s amazing how strong he is,” Niklas Kronwall said. “He lays his heart on the line every night; plays really hard. I know he was really tired after flying back and forth but he played another really, really good game for us.”

He’s just 23 and in his first full season, but Tatar already has become a popular player in the dressing room with teammates.

“He’s a great kid,” Jimmy Howard said. “He comes to the rink every single day and works hard. He’s got a constant smile on his face and he’s a very likable guy, a great teammate. We enjoy having him around.”

Tatar credited teammates and the organization for helping him through this tough time.

“Hockey makes me think of something else other than my dad,” Tatar said. “The guys have been really helpful, Coach has been great, management was really good.

“You should be with your family around this time. It’s obviously really hard. That’s why I’m happy to be back here. Home was kind of depressing -- the weather, then with what happened, it was really kind of grayish. My brothers will take care of everything back home; they’ll help my mom.”

Tatar ranks fourth on the team with 10 goals and has 19 points in 39 games.

“He’s an important player for us,” coach Mike Babcock said. “He’s a guy who scores. We don’t score so a guy who generates offense is real important for you.

“Obviously, he’s just been through a tough time. It’s been good that he got the opportunity to go home and honor his father. It doesn’t seem to matter who he plays with, he seems to generate offense. He’s got an infectious personality, he plays hard, plays way heavier than he is, goes to the hard areas to score.”

Tatar’s confidence is soaring.

“Before I left for home I felt really good on the ice,” Tatar said. “I was getting lots of pucks down in the zone, couple really good bounces. That’s what you need to play your best.”

After being a healthy scratch in eight of the first nine games this season, Tatar is firmly established as a regular.

“I start being in the lineup every night, which you need to be to play good and feel good about yourself,” Tatar said. “Now I think I have my spot and it’s all about winning games and feeling good. Play for fans and try to win some games.”