Senators at Lightning
The Eastern Conference-leading Tampa Bay Lightning have won four straight games and could have a major contributor back in the lineup when they host the struggling Ottawa Senators on Saturday. The Lightning rallied late to beat the Senators 4-3 in overtime in the second game of their winning streak and reigning Norris Trophy winner Victor Hedman (upper body) is expected to return after a seven-game absence in the rematch.
Tampa Bay extended its streak by rallying for a 4-2 victory over the New York Islanders on Thursday as goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy earned his NHL-leading ninth victory with 35 saves and Tyler Johnson swept home the winning goal with 1:26 to go. “It’s not always going to be pretty,” Johnson told reporters after his team was outshot 16-7 in the first period and 37-27 in the game. “Good teams find ways to win. It’s important that’s the end result. I guess we did just enough.” Ottawa continues to fade after a surprisingly strong 4-2-1 start, dropping seven of its last nine (2-5-2) after a 5-3 setback at home against Vegas on Thursday. Defenseman Thomas Chabot has been the biggest bright spot for the Senators all season and is among the league leaders with 22 points after accumulating two goals and seven assists during his current five-game point streak.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, CITY (Ottawa), FS Sun (Tampa Bay)
ABOUT THE SENATORS (6-7-3): Rookie left wing Brady Tkachuk was scoreless in his return to the lineup Thursday after a nine-game absence with a leg injury, but the 19-year-old continues to make an impact. “He does a lot of really good things. … ,” Ottawa center Matt Duchene told reporters. “I think the thing that impressed me the most about him is the maturity in his game at such a young age. He’s going to have a long, amazing career.” Right wing Mark Stone has also turned it up in November, producing two goals and nine assists during a five-game point streak.
ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (12-3-1): Center Brayden Point, the team’s leading scorer with nine goals and 19 points, was shaken up late in Thursday’s contest after a hit to the face but coach Jon Cooper told reporters after the game the 22-year-old is OK. Right wing Nikita Kucherov helped set up Johnson’s winning goal Thursday to move within one of the team lead in points with 18 and defenseman Mikhail Sergachev had an assist in his 99th NHL game. Vasilevskiy, who sat out the first game against Ottawa this season, has allowed two or fewer goals in nine of his 12 starts.
OVERTIME
1. Duchene, who is third on the team with 16 points, scored Thursday and had three assists in the previous contest.
2. Tampa Bay Ds Ryan McDonagh and Dan Girardi need one assist apiece to reach 200 and Kucherov is two away.
3. Ottawa LW Ryan Dzingel leads the team with seven goals, including five in the last eight contests.