The Coyotes begin a five-game homestand and play eight of their next nine games at Gila River Arena after playing 21 of their first 33 on the road. Arizona went 0-3-1 on a four-game road trip that ended with a 3-1 loss at the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday and is 1-5-2 in its past eight. Lightning forwards Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov enter the game tied for the NHL scoring lead with 42 points.
Players to watch
Kucherov has six points (five goals, one assist) in five games against the Coyotes. He has eight points (four goals, four assists) in his past seven games overall. Coyotes goalie Antti Raanta has stopped 99 of 103 shots in his past four appearances, including a game against the San Jose Sharks on Nov. 22 when he left in the first period with an upper-body injury after stopping all nine shots he faced.
They said it
"His big test was, was he going to be able to handle being the No. 1 guy, playing four or five in a row and taking the team on his back? He's clearly shown that ability." -- Lightning coach Jon Cooper on goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy, who is 4-0-0 and has allowed seven goals in his past four starts "Last year was just an anomaly for them not to make the playoffs. They've got everything. They've got all the tools." -- Coyotes coach Rick Tocchet on the Lightning
Callahan missed the Lightning's 3-0 win at the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday with an undisclosed illness but took part in the morning skate. Cooper said he will be a game-time decision. … Tocchet said Rinaldo would be a game-time decision but considered him doubtful.
Stat pack
Johnson has nine points (three goals, six assists) during a five-game point streak. Stamkos has five points (one goal, four assists) in his past four games. … Keller has six assists in his past 17 games after he had 13 points (eight goals, five assists) in his previous 10.
