Lightning at Kings: Projected lines; injuries; storylines

Lines from Wednesday's game vs. San Jose. Subject to change. 

Forwards

Vladislav Namestnikov - Steven Stamkos - Nikita Kucherov

Ondrej Palat - Brayden Point - Yanni Gourde

Chris Kunitz - Tyler Johnson - Ryan Callahan

Alex Killorn - J.T. Brown

Defense

Victor Hedman - Jake Dotchin

Mikhail Sergachev - Anton Stralman

Braydon Coburn - Dan Girardi

Slater Koekkoek - 

Goalies

Andrei Vasilevskiy or Peter Budaj 

THURSDAY'S MATCHUP
The Lightning and the Kings are playing their first of two meetings this season and the only meeting in LosAngeles...Tampa Bay swept the season series from Los Angeles in 2016-17, outscoring the Kings 7-1, and have won three of the last four matchups...The Lightning blanked the Kings 5-0 in their last meeting Feb. 7 at AMALIE Arena backed by a 28-save shutout performance by former goalie Ben Bishop and two goals from Nikita Kucherov...The Bolts defeated the Kings 2-1 their last time in L.A. on Jan. 16, Tyler Johnson netting the game-tying goal (14:33 - 1st) and former Bolt Brian Boyle providing the game-winner (18:47 - 2nd)...Current Bolts goalie
Peter Budaj was in the Kings net for both games vs. the Lightning last season, making 27-of-29 saves at STAPLES Center and 16-of-21 saves at AMALIE Arena...Tampa Bay's road win last season ended a four-game losing skid in L.A....All-time, the Lightning are 11-5-0 with two ties in L.A....Chris Kunitz has netted 17 career goals in 44 regular season games vs. the Kings, his most against any NHL team; Kunitz's 32 points vs. L.A. are tied for the most he's put up against one team (also: NYI).
 

THURSDAYS STORYLINES
Tampa Bay's 12-2-2 record and 26 points through 16 games are the best in franchise history, one point better than the 25 achieved by the Stanley Cup-winning 2003-04 team (11-2-2-1)...The Lightning record for most points through 17 games is 26 in 2003-04 (11-2-3-1)...The Bolts pace the NHL for points (26) and are tied with St. Louis for most wins in the league...Tampa Bay owns the best goal differential (+21) in the League (second: LAK +18)...The Lightning have won four-straight road games and are on a six-game road point streak...The Bolts are finishing their third of 13 back-to-back sets tonight...Tampa Bay is 0-1-1 this season in the second game of a back-to-back set.

INJURIES
2017-18 Regular Season Man Games Lost: 10
Current injuries:
Cedric Paquette - Upper body (DAY-TO-DAY) 9 Games

TRANSACTIONS
Oct. 9 -- Assigned F Michael Bournival to AHL Syracuse

POWER UP 
The Lightning netted a power-play goal Nov. 8 at SJS to record a power-play goal in the second-straight game and 13 of 16 games this season...Tampa Bay is tied with Pittsburgh for the NHL lead for power-play goals (18)...Over the last two seasons, the Bolts have scored more power-play goals (80) than any other team (second: PIT - 78).
 

STAMMER TIMET
ampa Bay captain Steven Stamkos tallied three assists Nov. 8 at SJS to tie a career high for assists in a game set five times and twice this season (also: Oct 21 vs. PIT)...With three assists on Wednesday, Stamkos becomes the first NHL player to record 21 assists in his team's first 17 games since Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin in 2008-09 (23 assists in first 17 games)...Stamkos paces the NHL for assists

Stamkos has recorded points in 14 of 16 games and has nine multi-point performances in 2017-18...Stamkos' 28 points are the most he's put up through 16 games in his career (previous high: 27 points in first 16 games of 2010-11)...Stamkos owns a share of the longest point streak in the NHL this season (4-17--21 over 11 games from Oct. 6 26) along with teammate Nikita Kucherov...Stamkos leads the NHL for scoring.

NHL SCORING LEADERS
1. Steven Stamkos (TBL) 7-21--28
2. Nikita Kucherov (TBL) 15-11--26
T-3. Jaden Schwartz (STL) 9-12--21
T-3. Blake Wheeler (WPG) 5-16--21
Stamkos is tied for the NHL lead for power-play goals and paces the League for power-play points.

NIFTY NIKITA
Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov netted a goal and added two assists to match his season high for points in a game...Kucherov has points in 14 of 16 games and has 10 multi-point performances in 2017-18...Kucherov (260 career points) passed Chris Gratton (259) on Wednesday for ninth place on the Bolts' all-time scoring list...Kucherov leads the NHL for goals.

NHL GOAL LEADERS
1. Nikita Kucherov (TBL) 15
2. Alex Ovechkin (WSH) 13
3. John Tavares (NYI) 12