Lightning at Flames
The Tampa Bay Lightning’s tumultuous campaign continues when they begin a four-game road trip against the Calgary Flames on Tuesday. One season after riding the wave to the Stanley Cup Final, Tampa Bay has endured a baffling scoring drought, several key injuries, a contract issue with its captain and a top prospect requesting a trade as it sits outside of the playoff picture.
The Lightning have remained in the hunt despite the adversity following a 3-2-1 homestand and are healthy again after Ondrej Palat returned for the 3-2 shootout win over Minnesota on Saturday. Captain Steven Stamkos, an unrestricted free agent after the season, has lost the team lead in points to the red-hot Nikita Kucherov (30) as Tampa Bay looks to sweep the season series with Calgary after posting a 3-1 victory on Nov. 12. The Flames, who have lost their last two at home after winning 11 in a row at Scotiabank Saddledome, are coming off a 4-0 triumph at Colorado on Saturday. Calgary’s Johnny Gaudreau, who was named the NHL’s First Star of the Month for December, leads the team with 39 points but has been kept off the scoresheet over the last three games.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, Sun Sports (Tampa Bay), Sportsnet West (Calgary)
ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (19-16-4): Kucherov has posted three goals and nine assists during his eight-game point streak and was reunited Saturday with linemates Palat and Tyler Johnson. With 14 healthy forwards, the Lightning sent 2013 third-overall pick Jonathan Drouin to Syracuse of the American Hockey League, and his agent announced the left wing asked for a trade in November. “This is specifically to get him some playing time,” general manager Steve Yzerman said of Drouin (eight points in 19 games), who suffered nagging injuries over the last two months.
ABOUT THE FLAMES (18-18-2): With Gaudreau and Sean Monahan cooling off lately, Calgary has looked to its defense to produce more points, and captain Mark Giordano has produced four goals and five assists in his last seven contests. Gaudreau leads the team in 17 goals while Monahan has recorded 12 tallies and 26 points for the Flames, who begin a four-game stretch at home - where they are 12-7-0. Veteran Jiri Hudler (five goals, 15 assists) logged only 5:26 of ice time at Colorado and is not expected to play Tuesday due to a lower-body injury.
OVERTIME
1. Calgary G Karri Ramo, who started his career with Tampa Bay, allowed four or more goals in four of his first five games this season but only three times in the last 22 contests.
2. The Lightning have won five of the last six meetings, including the last two at Calgary.
3. Flames D TJ Brodie has registered six points in his last six contests.