Sabres at Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning have emerged from a rough eight-game stretch to re-establish themselves as a definite contender in the Eastern Conference. The Lightning look to win for the seventh time in eight games - after a 2-5-1 slump - and improve on their best start at home in franchise history when the struggling Buffalo Sabres visit on Friday night. Tampa Bay has 31 points in its first 20 games at home (15-4-1) and face a Sabres’ squad team that has dropped six straight contests.
The Lightning own the most points in the East (56) and are coming off a pair of 4-2 victories at Ottawa and Montreal as the line of Nikita Kucherov, Tyler Johnson and Ondrej Palat continues to shine. The trio, which combines for a plus-74 rating on the season, totaled 24 points during the just-completed 3-1-0 road trip. Buffalo managed only seven goals over the last six games after a 5-2 loss at Carolina on Thursday and is last in the league in scoring (1.76).
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, MSG-B (Buffalo), Sun Sports (Tampa Bay)
ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (26-12-4): While the Kucherov-Johnson-Palat line has put of standout numbers, other players are making strong contributions. Defenseman Victor Hedman has posted two goals and five assists during the seven-game upswing after going without a point for six straight contests and Brett Connolly notched two goals on the trip. Captain Steven Stamkos, who leads the team with 21 goals, has been centering Alex Killorn and either Connolly or Jonathan Drouin over the past few games.
ABOUT THE SABRES (14-25-3): Tyler Ennis leads the team in scoring with 24 points, but has recorded just one in the last eight contests with a minus-7 rating. Zemgus Girgensons, who was voted into the All-Star Game and owns 20 points to tie for second on the team, has gone without a point in five contests while Philip Varone notched two goals on Thursday. Buffalo right wing Drew Stafford (20 points) missed the last two games after traveling to be with his wife for the birth of their child, but is expected back Friday.
OVERTIME
1. Tampa Bay D Matt Carle has recorded five points in the last seven games with a plus-3 rating.
2. Buffalo has allowed 13 power-play goals in the last 11 games and is 4-of-30 with the man advantage in that span.
3. Drouin has collected 14 assists in 32 games, fourth-most among rookies.