Hurricanes at Lightning
Center Tyler Johnson has taken over the scoring lead for the Tampa Bay Lightning and will look to extend his point streak to six games when the Carolina Hurricanes visit Saturday. Johnson continues to prosper while playing with long-time linemate Ondrej Palat and 21-year-old Nikita Kucherov, who has produced 10 points over the last seven contests. Tampa Bay has managed only three victories over a nine-game span - one against the Hurricanes - while Carolina is 2-1-1 in the last four.
Johnson notched his second career hat trick in the 4-3 victory over Pittsburgh on Tuesday and boasts a plus-23 rating to place second in the league - one spot ahead of Kucherov (plus-21). The Hurricanes have dropped eight of the last nine meetings with the Lightning after the 2-1 defeat Dec. 11 at Tampa Bay. Carolina continues to struggle on offense while registering 13 goals in the last 10 games and stands 29th in the league in scoring.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Carolina, Sun Sports (Tampa Bay)
ABOUT THE HURRICANES (10-20-4): Carolina had lost six straight games before surrendering five goals combined in the last four, capped by a 2-1 shootout victory over New Jersey on Tuesday. Captain Eric Staal has not been immune to the Hurricanes’ offensive woes with one goal in his last 15 games while defenseman Justin Faulk leads the team with 20 points. Left wing Jiri Tlusty, who has gone six games without a point, defenseman Tim Gleason and right wing Alexander Semin are questionable due to injuries.
ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (21-11-4): Rookie goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy was sent back to the minors to pave the way for the return of No. 1 netminder Ben Bishop, who missed the last four games with a lower-body injury. Tampa Bay’s 2-5-1 slump was due more to an offense which totaled only 16 goals over the span and a power play that is 3-of-37 in the last 11 games. Captain Steven Stamkos is one shy of his seventh straight 20-goal season to begin his career and is one behind Johnson with 36 points.
OVERTIME
1. Tampa Bay D Jason Garrison missed Tuesday’s game with an undisclosed injury, but could return against the Hurricanes.
2. Carolina LW Jeff Skinner has scored nine goals in 17 career games against Tampa Bay.
3. The Lightning have outscored the Hurricanes 33-13 over a nine-game span.