Lightning at Blue Jackets
THE STORY: The Tampa Bay Lightning needed a win in the worst way. The Lightning surrendered a two-goal lead in the third period, but skated to a 5-4 overtime victory over the Calgary Flames Thursday on Steven Stamkos’ goal. On Saturday, the Lightning will try to win two straight for the first time since Nov. 26 when they visit the Columbus Blue Jackets. Tampa Bay has won just two of nine games, but its offense is starting to come alive with nine goals the last two contests. On the flip side, the Lightning have allowed 14 the last three. Columbus followed an inspiring shootout victory over the Vancouver Canucks with a lackluster effort against the Los Angeles Kings Thursday, allowing 41 shots in a 2-1 loss.
TV: 7 p.m. ET; SunSports (Tampa), FS-Ohio (Columbus).
ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (13-16-2): Stamkos has 19 goals to share the NHL lead through Thursday with injured Ottawa Senators forward Milan Michalek, but just three on the power play. In his first three seasons, 42 percent of Stamkos’ 119 goals were with the man advantage. Stamkos is also a team-leading plus-10. G Mathieu Garon has started eight of the last 11 games and could get another against his former team. D Matt Gilroy left the game against Calgary with a lower-body injury and is questionable for Saturday.
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (9-18-4): One of the major acquisitions in the offseason, Jeff Carter has perked up of late with a goal in four straight games. Carter, who had 14 goals in 24 career games against Tampa Bay when he was with Philadelphia, has seven tallies and 12 points in 20 contests with Columbus. Vinny Prospal, who played 468 of his 1,009 career games with the Lightning, leads the Jackets with 24 points. Captain Rick Nash, who has 31 goals or more six of the last seven seasons, has a team-leading nine.
OVERTIME:
1. Columbus is near the bottom of the league on the penalty kill at 75.2 percent, despite going 6-for-6 the last two games.
2. Garon, who was 22-23-6 in the last two seasons with Columbus, is 6-1-2 lifetime against the Jackets.
3. The Lightning skated to a 3-2 shootout win over Columbus in their only meeting last season.