Lightning at Panthers
THE STORY: The Florida Panthers have scored a goal in the last three minutes of regulation to either take the lead or tie in four straight games. The Panthers will try to make it a little easier on themselves Sunday when they host the Tampa Bay Lightning. Florida has won six of its last eight games against the Lightning, including a sweep of the home-and-home series in October. The Panthers, 3-1-2 in their last six games, are off to their best start since 1999, when they had 15 points in 12 games. Florida was 7-for-15 on the power play in those two wins over the Lightning and is 3-for-23 with the man advantage since. The Lightning, who have won five of their last seven, came back from two goals down and beat Chicago 5-4 in OT Friday for their best victory of the season.
TV: 5 p.m. ET; SunSports (Tampa), FS-FLA (Florida).
ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (6-5-2): Steven Stamkos has eight goals in eight games after his fourth career hat trick Friday, playing primarily with Teddy Purcell and Ryan Malone. That trio’s production has allowed coach Guy Boucher to put Marty St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier together with rookie Brett Connolly. Marc-Andre Bergeron’s two assists pushed his season total to a league-leading 13 through Friday. Mathieu Garon, who has a .921 save percentage, is expected to get the start in goal.
ABOUT THE PANTHERS (6-4-2): Tomas Fleischmann is looking like a very shrewd free-agent signing. The winger has four goals and four assists on a current six-game point streak. Kris Versteeg, playing for his fourth team in three seasons, leads the Panthers with 12 points while playing mostly on a line with Fleischmann and Stephen Weiss. Defenseman Brian Campbell had five of his team-leading 11 assists against Tampa Bay. Jose Theodore has played both games in goal against the Lightning.
OVERTIME:
1. The teams will play a home-and-home Nov. 25 and 26, leaving just one more meeting Feb. 4.
2. Lecavalier has four game-winning goals, leading the league through Friday.
3. Florida center Mike Santorelli has seven points in six career games against the Lightning.