Tampa Bay Lightning versus New Jersey Devil game preview

October 31, 11:47 AMTampa Bay Lightning ExaminerAlthea Pashman

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Ryan Malone and Martin St. Louis
(AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Tampa Bay Lightning

Record: 4-3-3
Last Result: Won 5-2 vs. Ottawa
Streak: Win 1
Last 5 Games: 2-2-1
Next Game: Philadelphia - @ Philadelphia, Monday, November 2nd

New Jersey Devils

Record: 7-4-0
Last Result: Won 2-1 @ Boston
Streak: Win 1
Last 5 Games: 4-1-0
Next Game: Washington @ New Jersey, Wednesday, November 4th

Saturday’s Halloween matinee against the New Jersey Devils pits one of three undefeated road teams in the NHL against the Lightning, one of three NHL teams without a regulation loss at home. It also the second of four meeting between these two teams – they’ll meet again on December 4th at the St. Pete Times Forum and will close out the season series on January 8th, 2010 in New Jersey.

In their last meeting, Tampa Bay’s home opener on October 8th, Travis Zajac’s goal with one second left in regulation tied the game at 3-3. In the shootout, Zach Parise and Jaime Langenbrunner score for New Jersey – Martin Brodeur stops Steven Stamkos and Alex Tanguay and the Devils take the game 4-3.

The Lightning enters the game coming off an offensive outburst on Thursday night as 5-2 winners against the Ottawa Senators. Steven Stamkos led the charge with two power-play goals. Alex Tanguay netted his first goal of the season and Ryan Malone along with Todd Fedoruk added the Lightning’s other goals.

Stamkos No. 1 star performance of the night gave him the team-lead in goals scored (9) coming in ten games and as well extended his consecutive point streak to six. Martin St. Louis’s assist on Stamkos first goal has tallied at least a point in all games (10) becoming the only NHL player to do so this season.

The line of Malone-Stamkos-Tanguay combined for 8 points in Thursday’s game against Ottawa.

Antero Niittymaki will get the start in goal. Niittymaki has been solid so far this season, posting a 2-1-0 record, .913 save percentage and a 2.70 goals-against average. The rest of the line-up will remain the same as Thursday night’s game.

Lightning Nutz and Boltz

• Entering play on October 30th, rookie defenseman Victor Hedman led all NHL rookies in average ice-time with a mark of 24:52 and shifts per game at 29.3. Hedman is also ranked ninth in shots on goal with 21 and was tied with 12 PIM.
• Martin St. Louis extended his point streak on Thursday to 14 points in ten games. His 10-game point streak to open the season is a Lightning franchise record. St. Louis is the only player to have scored at least a point in all games this season.
• Steven Stamkos has recorded a point in all but one game this season. His two goals and assist against Ottawa on Thursday have given him five assists in ten games and he’s netted goals (6) in four consecutive games. His four game goal streak is a career high – and he’s tied for first with five power-play goals.

Devils Notes

With Thursday’s 2-1 triumph in Boston, they improved to 6-0 on the road and crept to within six points of first-place Pittsburgh in the Atlantic Division.

The Devils took a 1-0 lead David Clarkson’s first period goal but the Bruins came back to tie the game early in the second. The game would remain tied until 1:26 remaining in regulation when Dainius Zubrus scored to give the Devils the win. Yann Denis making his Devils debut stopped 31 of 32 shots faced to pick up win.

The Devils matched Colorado for the most road victories and, with a win in Tampa on Saturday, would tie Toronto (1940-41), Philadelphia (1985-86) and Detroit (2005-06) for the second longest road winning streak ever to open a season (7). Buffalo’s 10-0 start in 2006-07 stands as the all-time record.

In the Devils’ seven wins, they have dominated the third-period scoring by a count of 10-4. It helps that they keep nearly every game close: New Jersey has been tied or separated by one goal after two periods in all but two of their games, so far.

Though they have only outscored opponents, 13-11, in the third, overall, seven of those goals against were grouped into three losses against Philadelphia October 3, Atlanta October 16 and Buffalo October 28.

Martin Brodeur is expected to start in goal for New Jersey.

• Zach Parise has recorded ten points in his previous six games, including a five-game assist streak.
• Jamie Langenbrunner enters tonight’s game with a four-game assist streak and has totaled seven points in his previous six games.

Top Performers New Jersey/Tampa Bay

Vincent Lecavalier has 36 points (15 G, 21 A) against the Devils and Martin St. Louis is next with 29 points (12 G, 17 A).

Injury Notes

Lightning – None;

Devils – Paul Martin (forearm, out four-to-six weeks and placed on Injured Reserve), Jay Pandolfo (shoulder, out four-to-six weeks and placed on Injured Reserve), Patrik Elias (groin, out three-to-six weeks).