Preview: Panthers at Lightning

PANTHERS (29-26-11) AT LIGHTNING (31-26-9)
7 p.m. ET, SUN, FS-F, NHL.TV

Panthers team scope

The Florida Panthers will try to end a four-game losing streak. The Panthers, 1-6-1 in their past eight games after a 7-4 home loss to the Minnesota Wild on Friday, are six points behind the New York Islanders for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference. Captain Derek MacKenzie told the Sun Sentinel the season is on the line against the Lightning. "Yes, absolutely," MacKenzie said. "When you're not playing your best hockey, you can't just throw on the switch and get two points. We got to stick with it and get back [Saturday] in Tampa." Florida, which has the top-ranked penalty kill in the NHL, hasn't allowed a power-play goal in 12 games. The Panthers have won two of three against the Tampa Bay Lightning this season. Florida's flight was delayed, and the Panthers did not arrive in Tampa until late Saturday morning.

Lightning team scope

Tampa Bay, 7-2-2 in its past 11 games, will be without centers Tyler Johnson, Vladislav Namestnikov and Cedric Paquette, who are day to day each with a lower-body injury sustained Thursday against the Minnesota Wild. The Lightning are four points behind the Islanders for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference. "We've got no room to take our foot off the gas," coach Jon Cooper said. "They are going to be a desperate team looking for points and we have to be the same." Centers Steven Stamkos (knee) and Namestnikov each took part in the optional morning skate. Stamkos also skated on his own for nearly an hour before the team skate.

Panthers projected lines

Reilly Smith -- Aleksander Barkov -- Jaromir Jagr
Jonathan Huberdeau -- Vincent Trocheck -- Colton Sceviour
Thomas Vanek -- Nick Bjugstad -- Jonathan Marchessault
Jussi Jokinen -- Derek MacKenzie -- Denis Malgin
Keith Yandle -- Aaron Ekblad
Mark Pysyk -- Alexander Petrovic
Mike Matheson -- Jason Demers
James Reimer
Reto Berra
Scratched:Shawn Thornton, Michael Sgarbossa, Jakub Kindl
Injured: Roberto Luongo (lower body)

Lightning projected lines

Ondrej Palat -- Brayden Point -- Nikita Kucherov
Alex Killorn -- Yanni Gourde -- Jonathan Drouin
Adam Erne -- Matthew Peca -- JT Brown
Gabriel Dumont -- Greg McKegg
Victor Hedman -- Jake Dotchin
Jason Garrison -- Anton Stralman
Braydon Coburn -- Andrej Sustr
Luke Witkowski
Andrei Vasilevskiy
Peter Budaj
Scratched:none
Injured: Steven Stamkos (knee), Ryan Callahan (hip), Tyler Johnson (lower body), Cedric Paquette (lower body), Vladislav Namestnikov (lower body)

Status report

The Lightning called up Peca from Syracuse of the American Hockey League to fill one of the openings at center. Witkowski will be used as a defenseman and a fourth-line wing. ... Reimer has started the past three games, including Friday against the Wild, and could sit for Berra on Saturday.

Who's hot

Vasilevskiy is 4-0-1 in his past five starts. ... Kucherov has nine goals in the past eight games. ...Trocheck has four assists in the past two games.