Lightning at Maple Leafs
THE STORY:
The Toronto Maple Leafs were one of the hottest teams in the NHL for
the first month of the season, racing to an early lead in the Northeast
Division. But after a disastrous December, the Maple Leafs find
themselves below the top eight in the Eastern Conference. Toronto will
look to put its 4-6-3 month behind it when it hosts the Tampa Bay
Lightning on Tuesday. Another team with high expectations, the Lightning
would join the Maple Leafs on the golf course if the season ended
today. An Eastern Conference finalist last season, Tampa Bay is just
beginning to turn it on with a three-game winning streak to end 2011.
Steven Stamkos put up a hat trick Saturday and has 10 goals in the last
eight games to spark the Lightning.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, Rogers Sportsnet (Toronto), SunSports (Tampa Bay)
ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (17-17-3):
Tampa Bay has gone 5-1-1 in its last seven games overall, riding an
improved performance from Mathieu Garon in goal along with Stamkos
pacing the offense. Garon has started each of the last seven games,
yielding two goals or less five times in that span. Stamkos is leading
the league in goals with 26. The former No. 1 overall draft pick has six
tallies during the current winning streak and has five multi-point
performances in the last eight contests. Top defenseman Victor Hedman is out indefinitely with a concussion.
ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (18-15-5):
Phil Kessel was the early scoring leader in the NHL, helping Toronto
jump out fast with 10 goals in 11 games during October. Kessel has
dropped in each subsequent month, tallying six times in November and
five in December as defenses concentrate on the Wisconsin native. The
Maple Leafs’ big problem lately has been on the penalty kill, where they
have surrendered at least one goal in each of the last six games.
OVERTIME:
1. Lightning right wing Martin St. Louis recorded his 500th career assist Saturday.
2. Kessel has 14 points - seven goals - in 20 career games against Tampa Bay.
3. Toronto took the first meeting 7-1 in Florida on Nov. 22. The Lightning had taken the previous four meetings.