Sabres at Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning, who were shut out once during the regular season in 2014-15, have been blanked three times during a frustrating eight-game stretch. The Lightning will try to ignite a scuffling offense Tuesday as they go after their eighth consecutive victory and fourth this season against the visiting Atlantic Division-rival Buffalo Sabres.
Tampa Bay plays six of its next seven games at home but will be without Ondrej Palat (lower body) for three-to-five weeks after the talented two-way forward left Saturday’s 1-0 loss at Minnesota in the second period. “Our depth will be tested now,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper told reporters. “Palat plays all the hard minutes. … He’s as honest a player as you’re going to find in this league.” The young Sabres, who owned the worst record in the league last season, are showing plenty of progress with three wins in their last four games. Rookie Linus Ullmark has started all four of those in net for Buffalo, giving up three goals to the Lightning for his only loss during the stretch.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN
ABOUT THE SABRES (6-8-0): Defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen is logging 23 minutes, 57 seconds of ice time per game - over two minutes more than anyone else on the team - and the 21-year-old provided a pair of goals in Saturday’s victory over Vancouver. “He’s a young guy with a lot of potential and a bright future ahead of him,” fellow blue-liner Josh Gorges told the Buffalo News. “As long as he keeps learning, developing, he’s going to do some great things in this league.” Ryan O’Reilly leads the team in scoring with 13 points - none in his last three contests.
ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (7-7-2): Jonathan Drouin returned to the lineup Saturday after a five-game absence due to a lower-body injury and likely will move into Palat’s spot on captain Steven Stamkos’ line. Nikita Kucherov saw his four-game point streak end in the last contest but recorded a season-high six shots playing primarily with Tyler Johnson and Alex Killorn. Ben Bishop took the loss in each of his last five starts despite posting a .941 save percentage, but he is 8-0-1 lifetime against the Sabres – including a 2-0-0 mark this season.
OVERTIME
1. Buffalo rookie C Jack Eichel leads the team with five goals, including one against Tampa Bay on Thursday, and 49 shots.
2. Fifteen different players have recorded at least a point for the Lightning in their first three meetings with the Sabres this season.
3. Buffalo C Tyler Ennis has registered five points in his last five games, including an assist on the winning goal Saturday.