Lightning at Devils
The Tampa Bay Lightning may be without one of their key offensive weapons as they attempt to avoid back-to-back losses for the first time this season when they visit the New Jersey Devils on Saturday. Nikita Kucherov, who led the Lightning in scoring last season, suffered an upper-body injury in Tuesday’s 3-1 loss at Montreal and is considered day-to-day.
Kucherov is tied with Alex Killorn for second on the team in points (seven) behind captain Steven Stamkos (nine), but Tampa Bay has plenty of depth to handle the potential absence of the Russian standout. “We’ve been through this before,” defenseman Victor Hedman told the Tampa Bay Times. “That’s what we’ve been known for the last few years, guys step up when other guys go down.” New Jersey is coming off a 3-2 overtime loss to visiting Chicago on Friday and has yet to lose in regulation in four home games (3-0-1). Taylor Hall has scored five goals in his last five games for the Devils and Cory Schneider (.936 save percentage) is expected back in net after being rested Friday.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Sun (Tampa Bay), MSG Plus (New Jersey)
ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (5-2-0): Forward Cory Conacher was recalled Friday and veteran Ryan Callahan (hip) is closing in on a return to the lineup after offseason surgery, giving coach Jon Cooper two options if Kucherov can’t go. Killorn continued to extend the best start of his career with a sixth goal on Tuesday, and the former Harvard star shares the team lead with 14 hits. Andrei Vasilevskiy (2-0-0, .952 save percentage) likely will be in the crease either Saturday versus the Devils or Sunday against the New York Rangers.
ABOUT THE DEVILS (3-2-2): New Jersey still is waiting for Mike Cammalleri to break out as the 34-year-old has been held without a goal through the first seven games after scoring 14 in 42 contests last season. PA Parenteau recorded his third goal on Friday, tying him with Travis Zajac for second on the team behind Hall (five), while defenseman Damon Severson has notched a club-high four assists. Yohann Auvitu, a 27-year-old blue-liner from France, registered his second assist against Chicago and is second on the team to Hall (29) in shots with 20.
OVERTIME
1. New Jersey D John Moore notched the first goal for the Devils’ blue-line corps on Friday.
2. The Lightning have won five straight against the Devils, including a 3-2 comeback victory in Tampa Bay on Oct. 15.
3. The Devils have converted six of their 20 power-play chances over the last five games, but their penalty-killers have given up three tallies in the last two contests.