Tampa Bay Lightning versus Ottawa Senators game preview

October 29, 4:44 PMTampa Bay Lightning ExaminerAlthea Pashman

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Martin Louis enters tonight's contest with a
franchise best 9-game point streak
(AP Photo/John Amis)

Tampa Bay Lightning

Record: 3-3-3
Last Result: Lost 3-2 SO vs. Buffalo
Streak: Lost 1
Next Game: New Jersey - @ home Saturday, October 31st

Ottawa Senators

Record: 6-2-2
Last Result: Won 4-3 @ Florida
Streak: Win 1
Next Game: Atlanta @ Ottawa, Saturday, October 31st

Tonight the Lightning will host the Ottawa Senators, fresh off a 4-3 win over the Florida Panthers last night (Wednesday) while the Bolts look to snap their one-game losing streak. The Bolts enter the game having lost in the shootout to the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday night.

Rookie defenseman Tyler Myers of Buffalo scored in the sixth round of the shootout after Drew Stafford had tied the game in regulation with 16.1 seconds remaining. Tampa Bay has lost all three games that have reached the tiebreaker after dropping 10 of 13 last season.

"It's really getting frustrating, the shootout," Coach Rick Tocchet said. "This team is still learning how to win. That's a tough loss for us. You learn from your mistakes and move on. It's hard to win in this league. Nothing comes easy. We've got to keep pounding that into the guys."

Vincent Lecavalier ended his goal scoring streak (15-games dating back to last season) when his backhand rebound shot beat Ryan Miller with six-tenths of a second left in the first period. Steven Stamkos gave the Lightning a 2-1 lead early in the third, which held up until Stafford’s goal tied the game.

With his 7th goal on the season, Stamkos has now netted a goal in three consecutive games and recorded seven points during a five game point streak. Martin St. Louis assist on Lecavalier’s goal extended his point streak to nine games (3-goals, 10 assists, 13 points).

Milan Michalek, top, celebrates his hat trick vs.Lightning
on October 15 with teammate Daniel Alfredsson
(AP Photo/The Canadian Press,Sean Kilpatrick)

Lightning Nutz and Boltz

Coach Rick Tocchet wants to get Alex Tanguay going, so it looks like there will be another line change for tonight’s game.

All indications point to Tanguay playing with Steven Stamkos and Ryan Malone. Tanguay played on the third-line with Jeff Halpern and Drew Miller in Saturday’s game against Buffalo, so the move will send Steve Downie to the third line.

Rookie James Wright is expected to play in his 10th game tonight, which would then kick-in his three-year, NHL entry level deal. Wright has done everything and more so far and has drawn much praise from Tocchet and linemates Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis. He has one goal and two points in nine games.

In all likelihood, Mike Smith will start in goal and both Matt Smaby and Lukas Krajicek will be healthy scratches, meaning that David Hale and Kurtis Foster will skate again. Coach Rick Tocchet said he admires David Hale's “gritty” game.  Defenseman Paul Ranger remains out.

• Martin St. Louis currently holds the seventh-longest active consecutive games played streak in the NHL. Tonight’s game marks his 318th consecutive game played for the Lightning and his 700th in the NHL. Additionally, his nine-game point streak is a franchise record, surpassing the previous record of seven set by Vincent Lecavalier, Dan Boyle, Vaclav Prospal and Brad Richards and is one of two players who has scored at least one point in all games this season – the other is Marion Gaborik of the Rangers.
• Entering play on October 28th, rookie defenseman Victor Hedman led all NHL rookies in average ice-time with 24:59 and in shifts per game with 29.6. He also ranks seventh in shots on goal with 19 and was tied for fourth in penalty minutes with 10.
• Steven Stamkos is tied for the team lead in goals with Ryan Malone (7), second in points (11) behind St. Louis (13), and is tied for third in assists.
• Vincent Lecavalier is four games shy of 800 career NHL games played.
• Jeff Halpern needs three more points to reach the 300 mark
• Andrej Meszaros is one assist away from his 100th career assist
• Tonight will mark the 250th career NHL game played for Matt Walker

Ottawa is off to a very good start at 6-2-2 and with their win over Florida last night are 24-6-2 with a tie in its last 33 trips to the Sunshine State against the Panthers and Lightning.

The Lightning hasn’t fared well against Ottawa as they’re 26-5-2 against them since the 1999-2000 season. The Senators have defeated the Bolts in four consecutive meetings… in their last meeting and the first of this season, Ottawa crushed the Bolts 7-1 behind Milan Michalek’s hat trick.

In Ottawa’s contest against the Panthers Jarkko Ruutu’s second period goal, proved to be the game-winner came just 38 seconds after Nick Foligno scored.

The Panthers opened the scoring early in the first period, but Ottawa tied the score six minutes later on Mike Fisher’s power-play goal. Florida would take the lead on Stephen Weiss score, but that was it for Florida. Ottawa scored the next three goals.

Goalie Pascal Leclaire stopped nine shots for the Senators, but left after the first period due to illness. Brian Elliott finished the game, making 26 saves.

The Senators currently lead the NHL in penalty killing percentage and in shorthanded goals… they’ve given up just 5 goals while on the penalty-kill this season which ties them with Atlanta for fewest in the league.

In their last five games, the Senators are 5-36 on the power-play (13.9%; 28th in the league) while they’re 41-46 (89.1%; 1st in the league) on the penalty-kill. Over their last five games they’re 24-27. Ottawa’s 24 of 34 goals have come at even strength, one off a penalty shot, four the shorthanded way and five with the man advantage.

• Daniel Alfredsson has points in nine of the Senators 10 games and he leads the team with 14 points.
• Defenseman Filip Kuba returned to action on October 28th after missing eight games.
• Milan Michalek became just the second Ottawa player in franchise history to record two shorthanded in one game – scoring twice on the penalty kill (October 15th vs. Tampa Bay). Marian Hossa was the other Senator to accomplish the feat – ironically against the other Florida team… the Florida Panthers.

This is the second of four meetings between the Senators and Lightning and will meet next in Ottawa on November 5th, with the final meeting coming on April 8, 2010 at home.

Top Performers Ottawa/Tampa Bay

Daniel Alfredsson has recorded 56 points against the Lightning (20 G, 36 A) and Alex Kovalev five points away with 51 (26 G, 25 A). Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis are the top Lightning performers versus Ottawa. Lecavalier has registered 29 points (17G, 12 A) and St. Louis 25 points (7 G, 18 A).