Lightning at Panthers
The Florida Panthers look to keep their slim playoff hopes alive when they host the injury-plagued Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday night. The Panthers are six points behind in the race for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with four games to go despite going 5-2-1 in their last eight outings, while the Lightning are without four regular defensemen due to injuries.
Victor Hedman (lower body) is questionable while fellow defensemen Braydon Coburn, Andrej Sustr and Jason Garrison are also out with injuries for Tampa Bay, which is 1-3-1 in its last five games. Lightning captain Steven Stamkos is also in the middle of a seven-game goal drought, but has scored 23 times in 34 career games against the Panthers. Jonathan Huberdeau has been on a roll during Florida’s late surge with eight points in the last six games. “We still believe because you never know what can happen,” Huberdeau told the Miami Herald. “We’re going to keep working.”
TV: 7 p.m. ET, Sun Sports (Tampa Bay), FSN Florida
ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (47-24-8): Coach Jon Cooper told reporters he liked the battle level of his team in the 2-1 overtime loss at Ottawa on Thursday as Tampa Bay now finds itself trailing first-place Montreal by two points in the Atlantic Division. Stamkos, who leads the team with 68 points, has been stuck on 40 goals since March 20 and Tyler Johnson (67) has missed the last three games with an undisclosed ailment. Rookie Jonathan Drouin scored twice in the last three games – both in the power play.
ABOUT THE PANTHERS (36-27-15): The line of Huberdeau, Jaromir Jagr and Aleksander Barkov continues to produce big numbers after combining for six points in the 6-1 victory over Carolina on Thursday. Jagr needs one point to break the tie with former teammate Ron Francis for fourth on the all-time list with 1,798 and boasts five goals to go along with nine assists in 16 games since being acquired from New Jersey. Left wing Scottie Upshall missed the last two games with an upper-body injury and is questionable.
OVERTIME
1. Florida F Brandon Pirri has recorded 13 goals in his last 17 games, including one each in the past two contests.
2. Tampa Bay D Anton Stralman notched three points in his last three outings and is one shy of his first season with 40.
3. The Lightning have won six of the last seven meetings, but dropped a 4-3 decision in its last visit to Sunrise, Fla.