Flames at Lightning
With a playoff berth already clinched, the Tampa Bay Lightning set their sights on home-ice advantage in the first round when they host the Calgary Flames on Thursday. The Lightning are 8-1-4 in their last 13 games and can move ahead of Montreal for second place in the Atlantic Division by notching at least a point against the Flames - with five games to go afterward. Ben Bishop shut out Calgary 2-0 on Jan. 3, but the Flames have been better of late with a 9-8-0 mark since March 1.
Only one team in Eastern Conference (Boston) has fewer regulation losses at home than the Lightning, who are 22-8-6 at the Tampa Bay Times Forum. Ryan Callahan has provided a big lift for the Lightning, recording six goals and 10 points in 14 games since being acquired at the trade deadline for Martin St. Louis. Calgary has allowed 15 goals in the last four games while going 1-3-0.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, SNET-West (Calgary), Sun Sports (Tampa Bay)
ABOUT THE FLAMES (31-38-7): Calgary has lost the first two contests on a five-game road trip after its 3-2 defeat at Toronto on Tuesday. Former Tampa Bay goalie Karri Ramo has played the previous six games in net for the Flames and is 1-3-0 in last four after winning five straight decisions. Jiri Hudler has six points in his last eight games to lead the team (49), Mike Cammalleri boasts a club-best 24 goals and Sean Monahan is second with 20 – third among rookies in the league.
ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (42-25-9): Tyler Johnson tied the league lead with his fifth short-handed goal to snap a tie in the third period as the Lightning posted a 3-1 win over Montreal on Tuesday and he matched Steven Stamkos’ rookie record with his 23rd tally. Ondrej Palat, the NHL’s rookie of the month for March, added two assists Tuesday and owns a plus-28 rating – best on the team. Valtteri Filppula saw his 12-game point streak come to an end against Montreal, but leads the team among active players with 25 goals and 57 points.
OVERTIME
1. Lightning D Radko Gudas leads all rookies in the league with 255 hits and was fourth overall through Tuesday’s games.
2. Calgary has won its last six games that have gone past regulation – three in shootouts and three in overtime.
3. Tampa Bay D Victor Hedman (49 points) and Flames D Mark Giordano (45) were among the top 10 scorers in the league among blue liners through Tuesday.