Red Wings at Lightning
The injury-plagued Tampa Bay Lightning attempt to turn the page after a disappointing stretch when they host the Atlantic Division-rival Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday, beginning a stretch in which seven of the next eight are at home. The Lightning, who have made at least the Eastern Conference final in the past two seasons, are 2-7-2 over the last 11 games after a 3-2 shootout loss at Edmonton on Saturday.
Leading scorer Nikita Kucherov (lower-body) could miss his fourth straight game and three other regular forwards are questionable for Tampa Bay, which has surrendered 12 power-play goals in the last eight contests. “Enough is enough here,” Tampa Bay goalie Ben Bishop told reporters. “We’ve got to have more passion to kill these penalties. It’s starting to get almost embarrassing.” The Red Wings should have plenty of energy in trying to prolong the Lightning’s agony after their scheduled game at Carolina on Monday was postponed because of problems with this ice. Detroit is coming off its highest offensive output in a 6-4 victory over Anaheim on Saturday that ended a string of four losses in which it managed three goals combined.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FSN Detroit, FSN Sun (Tampa Bay)
ABOUT THE RED WINGS (14-14-4): Injuries have hampered Detroit as well this season and second-leading scorer Mike Green (undisclosed) is expected to miss the game after the defenseman aggravated an injury against Anaheim. Brian Lashoff also reportedly took a puck to the face at the morning skate Monday and fellow defenseman Nick Jensen was recalled from Grand Rapids of the AHL. Captain Henrik Zetterberg leads the team in scoring with 21 points, but only one has come in the last five games, and second-year pro Dylan Larkin owns a team-high 10 goals.
ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (15-14-3): Forwards Ondrej Palat (undisclosed), Ryan Callahan (lower-body) and Cedric Paquette (upper-body) are all questionable to return to the lineup after Tampa Bay went with seven defensemen and 11 up front Saturday. Speedy wing Jonathan Drouin stepped up with key players out, collecting four goals and four assists in the last seven games, skating with veterans Valtteri Filppula and Brian Boyle of late. “(Drouin is) telling me what to do, where to go,” Boyle told reporters. “I’m learning from him. He’s just so skilled, it’s fun to play with him.”
OVERTIME
1. Detroit LW Thomas Vanek boasts 27 goals - including two in the season opener – and 45 points in 41 career games against Tampa Bay.
2. Red Wings G Jimmy Howard, who is 0-2-1 in his last three decisions, was scheduled to start Monday’s game.
3. The Lightning won the last four regular-season meetings - two this season - and eight of nine overall encounters.