Hurricanes at Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning had a team meeting immediately after a sloppy 6-5 shootout victory over Winnipeg on Feb. 18. The Lightning ironed out plenty of things in those few minutes, responding to allow just eight goals in seven contests since, and can set a franchise record with their ninth straight victory when they host the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday.
Tampa Bay has matched its previous mark of eight in a row - including six on the road - set from Feb. 23-March 6, 2004 during its Stanley Cup championship season to take over first place in the Atlantic Division. “It feels like we have been on the road for a month,” Lightning captain Steven Stamkos, who has scored in seven of his last eight games, told reporters. “It will be nice to be home in front of our fans and hopefully make some history.” Carolina will try to spoil the party after snapping a three-game losing streak with a 3-1 victory at New Jersey on Tuesday. The Hurricanes, who trail Pittsburgh by six points for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, have been depleted by the trades of captain Eric Staal and defenseman John-Michael Liles as well as several key injuries.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Carolinas, Sun Sports (Tampa Bay)
ABOUT THE HURRICANES (29-26-10): Derek Ryan, a 29-year-old center, made his NHL debut Tuesday and scored a goal as Carolina used several reinforcements with Andrej Nestrasil (fractured vertebra), Jay McClement (upper body) and defenseman Justin Faulk (lower body), sidelined. The Hurricanes intend to use Elias Lindholm (31 points) at center more down the stretch after the trade of Staal. Jordan Staal still is with the team and leads the way with 39 points but has been kept off the scoresheet over the last four games.
ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (38-22-4): Ben Bishop has played a big part in Tampa Bay’s hot streak, allowing a total of six tallies in five consecutive victories while taking over the league lead in goals-against average (2.04). “This is probably the best I’ve seen (Bishop),” Stamkos told reporters. “And that’s saying a lot, considering he’s been one of the top goalies in the league for a while now.” Bishop is 6-1-0 lifetime against the Hurricanes while backup Andrei Vasilevskiy, who beat Carolina on Nov. 1, is 9-1-0 in his last 10 games overall.
OVERTIME
1. Tampa Bay D Victor Hedman was a plus-3 in the 4-1 victory at Ottawa on Thursday and is tied with LW J.T. Brown for the team lead at plus-16.
2. Carolina G Eddie Lack turned aside 29 of the 30 shots he faced to beat New Jersey and has posted a .927 save percentage in his last four contests.
3. The Lightning have won seven of the last eight meetings and RW Ryan Callahan has scored three of his 10 goals in a pair of victories over the Hurricanes this season.