The Tampa Bay Lightning will try to stretch their win streak to a season high four straight games this evening versus the Vancouver Canucks at St. Pete Times Forum.
The Lightning have won three straight for the second time in less than three weeks, giving them a 6-1-1 mark over their last eight games. They haven't won four straight since a five-game win streak from November 7-16, 2007.
Rookie Steven Stamkos has been key to the Lightning's recent run. He has a club-best 32 goals, including seven goals and 14 points over a nine-game point streak. He scored in Saturday's 2-1 overtime win versus Calgary, with Andrej Meszaros notching the game-winner 1:58 into OT.
"That was one of the toughest games to grind out," said Tampa Bay head coach Rick Tocchet said. "They played a playoff style. We didn't give them a lot, and in the third period I thought we started taking over the game."
Antero Niittymaki made 25 saves to give him a 6-0-1 mark in his last seven starts with a 1.10 goals-against average. He has never started versus the Canucks, stopping 5-of-6 shots faced in a sole relief outing versus them.
Tampa Bay's current win streak includes a victory in the first two contests of a four-game homestand. The Lightning are 5-0-1 over their last six at home, helping them move into a tie with Philadelphia for the final two playoff spots in the Eastern Conference.
The Canucks, meanwhile, are 2-2-0 on their NHL-record 14-game road trip. They have four games remaining before the Olympic break.
Vancouver began the trek with a win at Toronto before dropping back-to-back tests in Montreal and Ottawa. The club then headed to Boston on Saturday and left town with a 3-2 shootout victory.
Pavol Demitra scored with 4:42 left in regulation to tie the game, then had the lone goal of the shootout. Mason Raymond also scored and Roberto Luongo ended with 41 saves, giving the Canucks, who are tied for first place in the Northwest Division with Colorado, a win in eight of their last 10 overall.
"I think we played a little bit better in the third but [the Bruins] still had some unbelievable chances," Canucks head coach Alain Vigneault said. "They just met a hot goaltender tonight and we had the same situation in Montreal so I know how that can feel."
Vancouver has won four of its last five over the Lightning, including three of the last four played in Tampa Bay. Luongo is 13-11-0 with a pair of ties and 2.42 GAA in his career versus the Lightning.
Tonight will mark current Tampa Bay defenseman Mattias Ohlund's first game versus the club he spent his first 11 NHL seasons with. Ohlund was drafted 13th overall by Vancouver in the 1994 draft, notching 93 goals and 325 points with the club. He joined the Lightning this past offseason and has no goals and 10 assists in 50 games.
