Lightning at Golden Knights
The Vegas Golden Knights have passed just about every test in their inaugural season, especially on home ice, and may face the biggest challenge to date when they host the NHL-best Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday. The Golden Knights have gained at least a point in a season-high seven straight games (6-0-1) to move within two of the top spot in the Western Conference and will attempt to snap Tampa Bay’s seven-game win streak.
“I have no idea what the standings are or how many points we have. …” Vegas center Erik Haula told reporters after the 5-2 victory over Florida on Sunday night. “It’s just day-to-day. We have fun and winning makes everything fun.” The Lightning have taken the first three contests on their four-game road trip after surviving a furious rally by Colorado in a 6-5 triumph Saturday, giving up 10 goals in the first six contests of their streak. Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov leads the league with 46 points and has scored in four consecutive games to share the NHL’s top spot in goals (23) with Washington’s Alex Ovechkin. Andrei Vasilevskiy is expected back in net for the Lightning after being rested Saturday and owns a 5-0-0 record with a .944 save percentage in December to increase his league-leading total to 21 wins.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, Sportsnet One, FSN Sun (Tampa Bay), AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain (Vegas)
ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (24-6-2): Captain Steven Stamkos has cooled off a bit with one point on the trip, but boasts 43 to place second on a team which sports nine players with at least 20. Center Brayden Point has made the scoresheet in seven straight contests (five goals, five assists) and linemate Tyler Johnson owns 12 points (four goals) during his seven-game point streak after a slow start to the season. Anton Stralman scored twice and Victor Hedman added a tally Saturday to give Tampa Bay’s defensemen 23 goals on the season to go along with 60 assists.
ABOUT THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS (21-9-2): Haula is taking his turn as the hottest offensive player on the team with a six-game point streak, recording four goals and four assists in that stretch. Former Lightning forward Jonathan Marchessault registered his fifth three-point game of the season in Sunday’s victory to take over the scoring lead for Vegas with 29 points - two better than forward William Karlsson. Marc-Andre Fleury, who was rested Sunday, is expected back in net Tuesday after giving up three goals in two games since returning from a concussion.
OVERTIME
1. Tampa Bay rookie D Mikhail Sergachev started the week second in the league among all blueliners in goals with eight.
2. Vegas LW James Neal has scored in back-to-back games and four of the last six to lead the team with 16 overall.
3. The Lightning are 11-4-1 on the road and the Golden Knights stand 13-2-1 on home ice.