Lightning at Predators
THE STORY: The Nashville Predators continue to sink toward the bottom of the NHL in scoring, with just nine goals in their last six games. The Preds, averaging two goals overall, are on a 1-4-1 stretch as they host the suddenly-surging Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday. Nashville center Mike Fisher played his first game Tuesday, returning from offseason shoulder surgery, and had an assist in the 3-1 loss to San Jose. The Lightning have won three straight after a five-game losing streak, getting solid goaltending from Mathieu Garon and two goals each from Vincent Lecavalier, Ryan Malone and Steven Stamkos. Garon is expected to get his fourth straight start.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, SunSports (Tampa).
ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (4-3-2): Lecavalier is off to a strong start with four goals and seven points. The Lightning captain scored his 800th career point Tuesday and should play his 1,000th NHL game before season’s end. His long-time teammate Marty St. Louis is now 14 points short of 800. The two veterans have been playing with 19-year old Brett Connolly the last few games and that could continue. The Lightning decided not to send Connolly (two assists, plus-5) back to juniors after nine games, the limit for teams before they must use the first of his three-year, entry-level contract.
ABOUT THE PREDATORS (3-4-1): Pekka Rinne has been fine in goal, with a .927 save percentage. But the Predators have allowed an average of 34.1 shots, most in the league through Tuesday’s games. David Legwand leads Nashville with eight points. Defenseman Shea Weber has yet to score a goal after producing 55 the last three seasons. Even worse, Patric Hornqvist does not have a point. Hornqvist scored 51 goals combined the last two seasons. Defenseman Francis Bouillon was back in the lineup Tuesday for the first time since suffering a concussion last Jan. 16.
OVERTIME:
1. Nashville has won the last two, but the Lightning hold the series edge, 8-5-2.
2. Tampa Bay has 24 goals at even strength and Nashville nine.
3 .The Predators are last in the league in hits (122).