PROJECTED LINEUP
Thursday's morning skate was optional. Here's how the Lightning lines looked at practice on Wednesday.
Forwards
Ondrej Palat
-
Steven Stamkos
-
Jonathan Drouin
Alex Killorn
-
Tyler Johnson
-
Nikita Kucherov
Vladislav Namestnikov
Cedric Paquette
-
Brian Boyle
-
JT Brown
Defense
Victor Hedman
-
Anton Stralman
Jason Garrison
-
Andrej Sustr
Braydon Coburn
-
Nikita Nesterov
Goalie
Ben Bishop
LIGHTNING - AVALANCHE MATCHUP
The Lightning close out their season-opening, four-game home stand tonight against Colorado...The Bolts split the season series against the Avalanche in 2015-16, losing 2-1 at AMALIE Arena (Oct. 29) before shutting out Colorado 4-0 at Pepsi Center (Jan. 12)... Ben Bishop made all 21 saves to record his 12th career shutout in that Bolts' win...Despite last year's loss at home, the Lightning have won three of their last four games at AMALIE Arena versus Colorado...The Lightning outshot Colorado 73-47 in the two games combined last season, including a 24-9 advantage in third periods...Tampa Bay is 11-5-2 with one tie all-time at home versus Colorado...The Lightning are 15-17-4 with three ties all-time overall against the Avalanche.
LIGHTNING - AVALANCHE STORYLINES
Today marks the 20th anniversary of the first NHL hockey game ever played at AMALIE Arena (then known as the Ice Palace), a 5-2 victory over the New York Rangers on Oct. 20, 1996...Tampa Bay and Vancouver are the only remaining NHL teams without a loss of any kind this season...The Lightning are looking to start a season 4-0-0 for just the second time in franchise history (also: 2003-04, started season 6-0-0)...The Bolts play 12 of their first 18 games away from AMALIE Arena to start 2016-17.
INJURIES
2016-17 Regular Season Man Games Lost: 3
Current injuries:
Ryan Callahan - Hip surgery June 21 to repair labral tear in right hip (OUT 5 MONTHS FROM SURGERY DATE) 3
COMEBACK KIDS
The Lightning rallied to win after giving up the opening goal for the third-consecutive game to start the 2016-17 season...According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the last time Tampa Bay allowed the opening goal and came back to win in three-consecutive games was Jan. 18-21, 2011...The Lightning franchise record for consecutive victories in games giving up the opening goal is four (Nov. 18-25, 1995)...Tampa Bay rallied from a two-goal deficit in each of their first two games, the first time the Bolts overcame a multi-goal deficit to win in consecutive games since March 2-3, 2012 per Elias...The Lightning only overcame a multi-goal deficit three times in 2015-16: Oct. 12 at BOS (trailed 2-0, won 6-3), Dec. 15 at TOR (trailed 3-1, won 5-4 in OT) and Jan. 8 at EDM (trailed 2-0, won 3-2).
