Wild at Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning continue to sputter through the first half of the season and need a victory over the Minnesota Wild on Saturday to secure a winning six-game homestand. The Lightning fell to 2-3-1 in their last six overall games with a lackluster 5-2 loss to the New York Rangers on Wednesday and have won only twice in their last six at home.
“I don’t know what to say, there is no magic answer,” Tampa Bay captain Steven Stamkos told reporters after his team dropped to 2-2-1 on its homestand. “These close games, last year we were finding a way to win. Now we’re the team sitting back on our heels.” Lightning goaltender Ben Bishop left the ice early in practice Friday and it’s uncertain whether or not he will face Minnesota, which has won three of its last four and went 9-3-2 in December. The Wild are getting contributions throughout the lineup and Devan Dubnyk registered a .942 save percentage last month. Dubnyk made 31 saves en route to one of his four shutouts this season on Nov. 7 as Minnesota edged Tampa Bay 1-0 at home.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN North Plus (Minnesota), FSN Sun (Tampa Bay)
ABOUT THE WILD (20-10-6): Zach Parise missed Minnesota's last game with a lower-body injury and practiced Friday, but coach Mike Yeo told reporters they will decide whether or not he returns to the lineup on Saturday morning. Captain Mikko Koivu tallied twice in a 3-1 win over Detroit on Monday and leads the team with 31 points while Thomas Vanek has scored a team-best 12 goals. Nino Niederreiter has stepped up with eight points in the last eight games while Charlie Coyle has recorded three goals and two assists over his last five contests.
ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (18-16-4): Stamkos came up empty in the last two contests as Nikita Kucherov took over the team lead with 29 points, including at least one in each of his last seven games. Coach Jon Cooper told reporters Bishop left the ice as a precaution and could be available Saturday, but the Lightning recalled Andrei Vasilevskiy from Syracuse of the American Hockey League on Friday as a precaution. Ondrej Palat (lower body) could be back after missing eight contests while fellow forwards Brian Boyle, Jonathan Drouin and Tyler Johnson all returned over the last two games.
OVERTIME
1. Minnesota D Ryan Suter is second on the team in assists (19) and trails only Ottawa D Erik Karlsson in average ice time (28:09)
2. Tampa Bay has gotten seven goals in the last seven games from its defensemen after they managed only seven in the first 31 contests.
3. The Wild recalled D Tyson Strachan from Iowa of the AHL to add depth as they play again at Florida on Sunday.