The Tampa Bay Lightning bring their three game winning streak to Raleigh and will take on the Carolina Hurricanes tonight at the RBC. The Bolts are coming off little rest as they defeated the Rangers in OT last night in Tampa. Currently they sit four points out of a playoff spot and have a 6-4-0 record in their last 10 games.
The Hurricanes lost to those same Rangers on Thursday night and are 4-2-4 in their last 10 games.
Chad LaRose will be back in the lineup tonight and coach Kirk Muller changed his lines to make room for the forward. The new lines have Zach Boychuk with Eric Staal as well as Jerome Samson scratched, while defenseman Derek Joslin continues to play forward. Patrick Dwyer is still injured and will also be scratched tonight.
According to CH.com, look for the following lines to start:
- Boychuk, Staal, Tlusty
- Skinner, Jokinen, LaRose
- Bowman, Sutter, Nodl
- Stewart, Brent, Joslin
- Gleason, Allen
- Harrison, Faulk
- McBain, Spacek
Cam Ward will start in goal. Brian Boucher is healthy again and will be the backup. Justin Peters was returned to Charlotte.
Steven Stamkos leads the way for the Lightning and has been on a tear of late. He has 78 points in just 64 games played.
Of course, Martin St. Louis has made a career of playing against the Canes and has 75 points in 66 career games against the Carolina franchise. Newly acquired former Hurricane, Mike Commodore, should be in the lineup for Tampa.
For more info about the Bolts check out Raw Charge.
Eric Staal will look to extend his 10 game point streak tonight. Jeff Skinner has points in three straight.
The Canes are 5-8-3 against the Southeast Division this season and have a 2-2 record against the Lightning.
Tonight's game will be televised locally by FS Carolinas. We will have our open game thread ready to go at 6:30.