"Just energy," answered Gulutzan after the team's morning skate ahead of Sunday night's game against the Islanders. "Energy. He's in the fabric of the game, he's always positive. He has a lot of energy and it's an infectious kind of energy, right, it's on the bench, it's out on the ice. He's given us a good shot in the arm."
With three NHL games now under his belt - including the last two against the Devils and Rangers - Lomberg has looked more comfortable each outing and collected his first NHL point Friday night at MSG.
Skating on the fourth line, he's brought some jump to the roster which is exactly what the team expected from him.
"I think I've been pretty productive for our group," said Lomberg. "Obviously feeling a little more comfortable as the time goes on but nowhere near satisfied. For me now, it's a day-to-day league so I have to keep going and pushing the pace and keep on bringing the energy and speed and make sure I get these guys fired up."
The 5-foot-9, 187-lb., sparkplug knows he can't let his foot off the pedal if he wants to guarantee himself a spot on a regular basis.
"Realistically, if I don't play well chances are I'm not in the lineup the next game," said Lomberg. "That's kind of the way it's been the last few years for me. I just focus on each game when I go out. Do what I have to do to be successful and help."
Like the platoon of Stockton Heat call-ups before him this season, translating success at the AHL level to the big leagues is no easy task.
Players always point to the increased speed of the game at the NHL level, but there's so much more to it than just that.
"I think everyone is so positionally sound, everyone's in the right spots, everyone has their sticks in the right lanes. And everyone thinks the game so much quicker," said Lomberg.
"You give these guys the extra inch, chances are it ends up in the back of your net or, at the very least, they get a chance, a pretty good look," he continued. "You have to pay attention to details. It's a game of inches out there and you can't give that inch."
Known for his tenacious style of play and aggressive nature, Lomberg has done an excellent job of not trying to do too much on the ice and keeping his game simple.
"I never really try running out of the way to make the hit," he said. "Obviously I make the hit if it's there but I never try to take myself out of position. Staying in position is the key."
