Projected Lineup (subjec tot change)
Forwards
Ondrej Palat - Brayden Point - Nikita Kucherov
Alex Killorn - Anthony Cirelli - Steven Stamkos
Patrick Maroon - Pierre-Edouard Bellemare - Corey Perry
Boris Katchouk - Ross Colton - Mathieu Joseph
Defensemen
Victor Hedman - MIkhail Sergachev
Ryan McDonagh - Erik Cernak
Jan Rutta - Cal Foote
Goaltenders
Andrei Vasilevskiy
Brian Elliott
Sunday's Matchup
The Lightning and the Blackhawks are playing their first of two meetings this season and the only meeting at United Center...Tampa Bay earned a 7-4 win at Chicago in the last meeting between the two teams April 27, 2021, Alex Killorn scoring two goals and Brayden Point tallying a three-point game (G, 2As) to lead the Lightning charge...The Lightning and Blackhawks played eight times during the 2020-21 regular season as part of a reconfigured Central Division due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Bolts going 7-0-1 against the Hawks, including a 3-0-1 mark at United Center...Tampa Bay is 7-0-1 in it's last eight trips to Chicago and is on a 12-game point streak at United Center (9-0-3), its last regulation loss in Chicago coming Dec. 13, 2009, a 4-0 defeat...Since the start of the 2010-11 season, the Lightning have suffered just one regulation loss to the Blackhawks (5-2 L vs. CHI 2/27/20) and are 21- 1-3 overall against the Hawks over that stretch...Tampa Bay is 30-15-4 with 5 ties all-time in the regular season vs. Chicago, its .639 points percentage its fourth best against any NHL franchise...Andrei Vasilevskiy has never lost in the regular season to Chicago, going 11-0-0 with a 2.07 GAA and .934 save percentage in 11 starts, one of three NHL teams Vasilevskiy is undefeated against (also: 13-0-0 vs. DET and 1-0-0 vs. SEA)...Alex Killorn scored a goal in six of the eight games vs. Chicago last season and has an eight-game point streak against the Hawks (7-6--13 pts.).
Sunday's Storylines
The Lightning embark on their longest road trip of the season - six games over a span of 11 days - starting tonight...Tampa Bay is playing its first of 10 road games in March, its most road contests in a month this season and most since playing 10 road games in March of 2021...The Lightning have won three-straight road contests and own the second-best road points percentage in the NHL (.692) behind only Pittsburgh (.724)...Tampa Bay regained first place in the Atlantic Division following its win over Detroit on Friday...The Bolts ranks seventh in the NHL for both goals per game (3.41) and goals against per game (2.74).
Injuries
2021-22 Reg. Season Man Games Lost: 170
Current injuries
Zach Bogosian (Lower-body injury Jan. 15; Week-to-week) 14 Games
Tampa Bay Sports Item of the Game
Lightning Dog Puzzle
The only piece missing to this 500-piece Lightning Dog Puzzle is you! It's available while supplies last in store at AMALIE Arena or online at TampaBaySports.com.
The Road Ahead
Tuesday, March 8 at Winnipeg Jets
Thursday, March 10 at Calgary Flames
Saturday, March 12 at Edmonton Oileres
