PROJECTED LINES
Lines are from Tampa Bay's game against the Islanders on Thursday night. The team had an optional morning skate session on Saturday at AMALIE Arena.
Forwards
Vladislav Namestnikov - Steven Stamkos - Nikita Kucherov
Ondrej Palat - Tyler Johnson - Brayden Point
Alex Killorn - Valtteri Filppula - Ryan Callahan
Brian Boyle - Cedric Paquette - JT Brown
Defensemen
Victor Hedman - Anton Stralman
Jason Garrison - Andrej Sustr
Slater Koekkoek - Braydon Coburn
Goalie
Ben Bishop
SATURDAY'S MATCHUP
The Lightning are playing their first of two meetings against the defending Western Conference championship San Jose Sharks Saturday...The Bolts have split the season series with the Sharks each of the last two seasons...Tampa Bay has lost three in a row to San Jose at home and hasn't defeated the Sharks at AMALIE Arena since a 6-5 overtime win on Feb. 16, 2012...The Lightning are 9-9-0 with one tie all-time at home vs. San Jose...The Bolts are 16-17-0 with two ties all-time overall against the Sharks.
LIGHTNING-SHARKS STORYLINES
The Lightning are playing their last game at home before going on a five-game road trip...Tampa Bay has two players in the top six in the NHL for scoring in Steven Stamkos (tied for second with 17 points) and Nikita Kucherov (tied for sixth with 16 points)...The Lightning have scored 15 power-play goals, tied with Philadelphia for most in the NHL...The Bolts 26.3% power-play conversion rate is third best in the league...Tampa Bay's 27.6% home power-play conversion rate ranks sixth in the NHL...The Bolts' penalty kill is seventh in the league at 88.1%...Tampa Bay owns a plus-10 power-play goal differential, the best differential the Bolts have had all-time through 14 games...Ryan Callahan has scored seven goals and 10 points in 10 career games vs. San Jose...Steven Stamkos has eight goals and 13 points in 10 career games against the Sharks.
INJURIES
2016-17 Regular Season Man Games Lost: 14
Current injuries
Jonathan Drouin - Upper-body injury (DAY-TO-DAY; INJURED NOV. 1) 4 Games
TRANSACTIONS
Nov. 8 - Re-assigned F Cory Conacher to AHL Syracuse
Nov. 6 - Recalled F Cory Conacher from AHL Syracuse
Oct. 31 - Recalled D Slater Koekkoek from AHL Syracuse
Oct. 31 - Re-assigned D Matt Taormina to AHL Syracuse
GO JOHNNY GO
Tampa Bay center Tyler Johnson recorded a goal and assist Nov. 10 vs. NYI for his second multi-point game of the season and 34th of his career...Johnson has scored three goals over his last four games...Three of Johnson's five goals this season have come on the power play, and he's tied with Steven Stamkos for the team lead for power-play goals...Johnson ranks second on the Bolts for shooting percentage (23.8%) behind only Valtteri Filppula (26.7%).
