Rangers at Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning have played a franchise-record six straight games that ended after regulation and 21-year-old center Brayden Point has played a big part in helping them win five of them. Point looks to follow up a nifty overtime winner with another big performance Thursday when the Lightning host the New York Rangers, who they pulled off a blockbuster deal with at the trade deadline.
Tampa Bay is one away from equaling the NHL record for consecutive overtime games, set by the 2004 Edmonton Oilers and the 2009 Toronto Maple Leafs according to Elias Sports Bureau, after Point toe-dragged past a defender and scored his 27th goal in the 5-4 victory over Florida on Tuesday. “He’s a special player,” Lightning left wing Alex Killorn told reporters of Point, who also notched a pair of shootout goals in wins during a 7-0-1 stretch. The Rangers saw their three-game winning streak come to an end with a 3-0 loss to Winnipeg on Tuesday to leave them seven points out in the Eastern Conference wild-card race. New York dealt forward J.T. Miller and defenseman Ryan McDonagh, who is likely out with an upper-body injury until next week, to the Lightning on Feb. 26 for center Vladislav Namestnikov and a package of prospects and picks.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, TVA, MSG (New York), FS Sun (Tampa Bay)
ABOUT THE RANGERS (30-31-6): Namestnikov has registered a career-high 21 goals this season and posted a goal along with an assist in his first game with New York before being blanked in the last three. Forward Ryan Spooner, who came over from the Boston Bruins in another big deadline trade, has recorded a goal and six assists in his five games with the Rangers. Mats Zuccarello tops the team with 44 points, but has only one in his last seven contests, and fellow forward Kevin Hayes owns five of his career-high 18 goals in the past eight games.
ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (46-17-4): Miller has made quite an impact while playing with Point and Yanni Gourde, recording two goals and three assists in his first four games with Tampa Bay. “He’s been amazing,” Gourde told reporters of Miller after scoring twice and setting up another himself Tuesday. “He brings tremendous energy to this team. He finishes hits every time.” Right wing Nikita Kucherov leads the league with 86 points after posting four assists in the last two games and captain Steven Stamkos owns 13 of his 78 points, including six goals, in the last 10 contests.
OVERTIME
1. Tampa Bay G Andrei Vasilevskiy needs one victory to equal the franchise record for a season set by Ben Bishop (40, 2014-15).
2. The Rangers have won in their last three trips to Tampa Bay, including a 2-1 overtime win Nov. 2
3. The Lightning have allowed at least one power-play goal in eight straight contests and New York is 5-for-5 on the kill in three March games.