Nuts and Bolts: Lightning begin another back-to-back
The Bolts face the Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night
by Bryan Burns / TampaBayLightning.com
The Lightning can set a new franchise record for consecutive victories with a win over the Rangers on Wednesday night.
Tampa Bay matched the record with their ninth straight victory on Monday, a 4-3 shootout win over Los Angeles at Amalie Arena. The Rangers come into Monday's matchup after falling to the Capitals 6-5 in overtime on Sunday afternoon.
Lines from Wednesday's morning skate. Subject to change.
Forwards
J.T. Miller - Steven Stamkos - Ondrej Palat
Tyler Johnson - Brayden Point - Nikita Kucherov
Alex Killorn - Anthony Cirelli - Yanni Gourde
Adam Erne - Cedric Paquette - Ryan Callahan
Defensemen
Victor Hedman - Dan Girardi
Ryan McDonagh - Erik Cernak
Mikhail Sergachev - Anton Stralman
Goaltenders
Andrei Vasilevskiy
Louis Domingue
Wednesday's Matchup
The Lightning and the Rangers are playing their third of three meetings this season and the second of two at Madison Square Garden... Tampa Bay has won both previous matchups against New York this season, winning both by a combined 9-5...The Lightning downed New York 6-3 Dec. 10 in the teams' lone meeting at AMALIE Arena behind the ninth career hat trick by Steven Stamkos, who passed Martin St. Louis to become TBL's all-time leader for hat tricks while registering his 700th career NHL point in the process...The Bolts defeated the Rangers 3-2 in New York Feb. 2, a game Tampa Bay led 3-0 midway through before holding on for the one-goal victory...Tampa Bay has won three in a row at Madison Square Garden...The Lightning are on a seven-game point streak against the Rangers (5-0-2)...Ryan McDonagh has recorded points in both games vs. his former team this season (1-1--2)...Victor Hedman is on a three-game point streak vs. NYR (0-5--5)...Steven Stamkos has scored four goals over his last two games vs. NYR...Louis Domingue has wins in three-straight starts vs. NYR, all while with the Lightning.
Wedensday's Storylines
The Lightning are playing their ninth of 11 back-to-back sets this season...The Bolts are 7-0-1 in the first half of a back-to-back...Tampa Bay has swept its last three back-to-backs and five overall this season...The Lightning hit the 100-point mark for the secondconsecutive season, fourth time in the last six seasons and sixth time overall in franchise history...The Bolts needed just 63 games to reach 100 points, joining 1976-77 MTL (62 GP), 1977-78 MTL (62 GP) and 1971-72 BOS (63 GP) as the NHL teams needing the fewest games to reach 100 points in League history...Tampa Bay has matched its franchise record for a win streak (also: 9-straight wins from Feb. 18-March 5, 2016) and can set a new record with a win tonight...The Bolts' 13-game point streak is tied for the third longest in franchise history (longest: 14-0-2-2 from Feb. 5-March 12, 2004)...The Lightning have yet to lose in regulation in February, going 11-0-2 for the month, and are looking to conclude a calendar month without a regulation loss for the second time this season (also: 13-0-1 in December); only three teams in NHL history have concluded a season without a regulation loss in two calendar months (min: 8 GP) -- 1940-41 BOS, 1944-45 MTL and 1979-80 PHI...Tampa Bay's 48 wins are its third most in franchise history (most: 54 in 2017-18)...The Lightning's 22 road wins are tied for its second most in franchise history (most: 25 in 2017-18).
Injuries
None
2018-19 Man Games Lost: 85
Tampa Bay Sports Item of the Game
Lightning adidas 3-Stripe Heather Block Polo
Checkout the new collection of adidas Lightning polos, including this 3-Stripe Heather Block Polo. Available in stores and online at TampaBaySports.com.
The Road Ahead
Thursday, Feb. 28 at Boston Bruins
Saturday, March 2 vs. Ottawa Senators
Tuesday, March 5 vs. Winnipeg Jets