Lightning at Sharks
The Tampa Bay Lightning begin a difficult five-game trip at a place where they have not had much luck of late as they face the San Jose Sharks on Sunday. The Lightning have lost five straight times at San Jose while being outscored 27-7 and were 0-4-1 last season playing at the teams they will face on their trek, which also includes visits to Los Angeles, Anaheim, Arizona and Colorado. Antti Niemi made 32 saves as the Sharks won at Tampa Bay 2-1 on Nov. 13, improving to 5-0-1 in the last six meetings.
Joe Pavelski recorded his fourth career hat trick - one of those against the Lightning last season - as San Jose rallied to beat Arizona 4-2 on Friday and end a three-game slide. Tampa Bay produced one of its worst efforts of the season in a 6-3 loss to St. Louis on Thursday, falling to 2-2-2 this month. "We’ve shown all year that when we lose a game like (Thursday), we respond well," Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman told reporters.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, Sun Sports (Tampa Bay), CSN California (San Jose)
ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (34-17-6): Tampa Bay has yet to drop three straight games this season and will be tested again after losing in overtime at Nashville before the St. Louis defeat. Captain Steven Stamkos is one shy tally of the fourth 30-goal season and boasts 51 points – three behind team leader Tyler Johnson. Forward Cedric Paquette, who missed the last two games with an upper-body injury, practiced Saturday and could return while fellow forward Vladislav Namestnikov was sent back to the minors.
ABOUT THE SHARKS (29-20-8): Pavelski reached the 30-goal plateau for the third time in his career Friday and now has six seasons of at least 50 points while leading the team with 52. Logan Couture has posted seven points in the last five games and Joe Thornton notched three assists Friday to give the Sharks three 50-point scorers. San Jose defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic, who missed the last four games with an upper-body injury, reportedly skated with the team on Saturday and may be close to a return.
OVERTIME
1. Niemi is 5-0-1 with a .916 save percentage and one shutout in six career outings against the Lightning.
2. Tampa Bay RW Nikita Kucherov is one point shy of becoming the third player on his team to reach 50.
3. San Jose D Brent Burns has registered six points and a plus-5 rating over his last five games.