Lightning at Avalanche
THE STORY: The Colorado Avalanche have enjoyed playing against the Eastern Conference all season and have been unbeatable against anybody at home lately. The Avs are 8-1 against the East and have seven straight wins on home ice to equal the franchise record since moving to Denver in 1995. Colorado has a chance to improve both marks when the struggling Tampa Bay Lightning visit Friday. The Avs have won three straight overall and four of five while the Lightning are 3-8 in their last 11. Colorado hopes to exploit Tampa Bay’s problems in the defensive end. The Lightning dropped to the bottom of the league in goals against after a 7-2 loss at San Jose on Wednesday.
TV: 9 p.m. ET; SunSports (Tampa), ALT (Colorado).
ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (14-17-2): Tampa Bay’s special teams have been less than ordinary most of December. The Lightning are 4-for-37 on the power play the last 12 games and have allowed 10 power-play goals the last seven games. Tampa Bay has surrendered fewer than four goals in a game just three times in the last 11. One bit of good news is the return of Marty St. Louis, who missed five games with facial and nasal fractures before scoring his 10th goal Wednesday. Steven Stamkos was shut out at San Jose, but leads the team with 37 points.
ABOUT THE AVALANCHE (17-17-1): Colorado paid heavily to acquire goalie Semyon Varlamov from Washington in the offseason, but is getting much more payoff from veteran goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere. The 34-year-old, signed as a backup, sports a .931 save percentage, has won three straight and is expected to start again Friday. Ryan O’Reilly leads a balanced offense with 23 points. Matt Duchene has just two goals in the last 14 games, but the 20-year-old has 11 overall to share the team lead with Paul Stastny.
OVERTIME:
1. Colorado has the NHL’s top road power play (29.8 percent), but is 14.1 at home.
2. Tampa Bay forward Ryan Malone will play against his cousin Brad Malone, a forward for the Avs.
3. The Avalanche had beaten the Lightning six straight before losing 6-5 in Tampa last season.