The Lightning will be the first team to qualify this season with a win and a regulation loss by either the Montreal Canadiens or Columbus Blue Jackets. They also can clinch with one point and regulation losses by the Canadiens and Blue Jackets. Tampa Bay is 12-1-0 in its past 13 games. The Wild have points in seven straight games (5-0-2) and hold the second wild card into the playoffs from the Western Conference, two points ahead of the Colorado Avalanche.
Players to watch
Wild center Eric Staal has nine points (two goals, seven assists) during a seven-game point streak. Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov, who leads the NHL with 108 points (31 goals, 77 assists) needs one point to break Vincent Lecavalier's Tampa Bay record for most in a season, set in 2006-07.
They said it
"I think [the Lightning] will be a great test. They don't have any weaknesses."-- Wild coach Bruce Boudreau "It's basically a playoff game because they are battling to get in the playoffs and we want to improve and get better. This game provides that challenge." -- Lightning forward Yanni Gourde
Rask, who has missed the past 10 games, took part in the morning skate. Boudreau said he could return to the lineup next week. … The Lightning held an optional morning skate.
Stat pack
Vasilevskiy can tie a Lightning record for consecutive wins by a goalie with 11 (Domingue from Nov. 29, 2018-Feb. 19, 2019). … Dubnyk is 5-0-1 with a 1.97 goals-against average and .935 save percentage in his past six starts.
