PROJECTED LINES
Lines from Thursday's game against the Buffalo Sabres. Subject to change. There will be no morning skate on Friday, but coach Jon Cooper will speak to the media before the game.
Forwards
Ondrej Palat
-
Vladislav Namestnikov
-
Nikita Kucherov
Jonathan Drouin
-
Valtteri Filppula
-
Brian Boyle
Alex Killorn
-
Tyler Johnson
- Matthew Peca
Michael Bournival -
Cedric Paquette
- Gabriel Dumont
Defensemen
Victor Hedman
-
Anton Stralman
Jason Garrison
-
Nikita Nesterov
Braydon Coburn
- Andrej Sustr (with Luke Witkowski
mixing in)
Goaltender
Andrei Vasilevskiy expected to start.
FRIDAY'S MATCHUP
The Lightning and the Blue Jackets are playing their third of three meetings this season and second of two at AMALIE Arena...Columbus won both previous matchups, defeating the Lightning 5-3 Nov. 25 at AMALIE Arena and following up four days later with a 5-1 win in Columbus on Nov. 29...The Blue Jackets have outscored the Bolts 10-4 in 2016-17, a season after the Lightning outscored Columbus 11-3 in a three-game sweep...The Lightning have never been swept by Columbus in a three-game season series...Tampa Bay has split its last four home games against Columbus but is 9-3-0 all-time at AMALIE Arena versus the Blue Jackets...The Bolts are 14-9-0 with one tie all-time overall against Columbus.
LIGHTNING-BLUE JACKETS STORYLINES
Before tonight's game, the Lightning will retire Martin St. Louis's No. 26 in a pregame ceremony and become the first Bolt to have his number retired...St. Louis played 13 seasons with Tampa Bay and owns Lightning franchise records for points (953), assists (588), shorthanded goals (28), game-winning goals (64), power-play points (300), consecutive games played (499) and All-Star Game appearances (6)...Tonight, the Lightning will complete their second set of back-to-back games in a stretch of three-consecutive back-toback sets.
INJURIES
2016-17 Regular Season Man Games Lost: 123
JT Brown
- Upper-body injury (DAY-TO-DAY; INJURED JAN. 7) 2 Game
Ryan Callahan
- Lower-body injury (DAY-TO-DAY; INJURED JAN. 7) 2 Game
Brayden Point
- Upper-body injury (OUT 4-6 WEEKS; INJURED DEC. 28) 6 Games
Steven Stamkos
- Lateral meniscus tear in right knee (OUT APPROXIMATELY 4 MONTHS; INJURED NOV. 15) 25 Games
TRANSACTIONS
Jan, 13 - Recalled F Erik Condra from AHL Syracuse
Jan. 10 - Re-assigned D Slater Koekkoek to AHL Syracuse
Jan. 10 - Re-assigned G Kristers Gudlevskis to AHL Syracuse
Jan. 10 - Recalled F Gabriel Dumont from AHL Syracuse
Jan. 10 - Recalled G Kristers Gudlevskis from AHL Syracuse
Jan. 10 - Re-assigned G Adam Wilcox to AHL Syracuse
Jan. 9 - Re-assigned F Adam Erne to AHL Syracuse
Jan. 9 - Re-assigned F Erik Condra to AHL Syracuse
Jan. 8 - Recalled F Michael Bournival from AHL Syracuse
Jan. 8 - Recalled F Erik Condra from AHL Syracuse
Jan. 6 - Recalled D Luke Witkowski from AHL Syracuse
Jan. 4 - Recalled G Adam Wilcox from AHL Syracuse
Jan. 4 - Re-assigned F Michael Bournival to AHL Syracuse
Jan. 4 - Re-assigned G Kristers Gudlevskis to AHL Syracuse
Jan. 4 - Re-assigned F Yanni Gourde to AHL Syracuse
BACK TO BACK
The Lightning have 16 sets of back-to-back games this season, their most back-to-back sets in a season since 16 were on the schedule in 2010-11 (most all-time back-to-back sets: 19 during 1997-98 and 1993-94 seasons)...The Lightning are currently playing the second set of a stretch of three back-to-back sets in 11 days
