Tampa Bay @ Columbus preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 12, 2019 ) Columbus 5, Tampa Bay 1

The Tampa Bay Lightning have not faced much adversity this season so coach Jon Cooper called the team’s situation a “five-alarm fire” going into Game 3 of the Eastern Conference first-round series against the host Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday. The Presidents’ Trophy-winning Lightning dropped the first two contests at home after a 5-1 setback Friday and won’t have the league’s leading scorer Nikita Kucherov, who was suspended one game for an illegal hit.

“We’re in a tough position, but we’re not going to quit,” Tampa Bay captain Steven Stamkos said. “We’ve got to take a page out of their book and go on the road and win a hockey game. We just got to focus on Game 3. … It’s not from lack of effort, guys are working hard, we’re just not working smart enough. They’re executing their game plan a lot better than we’re executing ours.” The Lightning have not lost three straight games this season and were 18-10 on the road in the playoffs the previous four seasons, but need to find the answers against a Columbus team that has clogged the neutral zone and outscored them 9-1 in the last five periods. Nine players have scored one goal apiece the Blue Jackets, who have yet to win a playoff series in franchise history despite taking the first two games on the road at Washington in last season’s first round. “We have been in this position before, so we should have a sour taste in our mouth,” Columbus right wing Cam Atkinson said. “It’s a series for a reason. They’re the best team in the league. As soon as you take your foot off the gas pedal, they’re going to capitalize on their opportunities, that’s how good they are.”

TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network, TVA, Sportsnet360; FS Sun (Tampa Bay), FS Ohio (Columbus)

ABOUT THE LIGHTNING: Stamkos, who skated with Mathieu Joseph and Yanni Gourde at practice Saturday, leads the team with eight shots but has yet to make the scoresheet in the series as the league’s best power play in the regular season is 0-for-5. Mikhail Sergachev and fellow defenseman Erik Cernak, along with forward J.T. Miller, lead the team with two points apiece. Veteran right wing Ryan Callahan (119 playoff games) will likely join the lineup in Kucherov’s absence while Cooper told reporters reigning Norris Trophy winner Victor Hedman is “banged up,” but is hopeful he can play after missing practice Saturday.

ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS: Defenseman Zach Werenski has posted three points in the first two games of the series and also dropped the gloves in a fight with Brayden Point late in the first period Friday, drawing praise from his coach. “Damn right,” coach John Tortorella said. “Terrific. It’s just so good for our bench, and he takes off a pretty good player with him. I think that’s so good for him, and it’s so good for the camaraderie of our team. That was really good.” Center Matt Duchene, who is in the postseason for the first time since 2014 with Colorado, scored his first career playoff goal Friday and added three assists.

OVERTIME

1. Columbus G Sergei Bobrovsky has stopped 39 of the 40 shots he faced in the last five periods.

2. Tampa Bay D Anton Stralman (lower body) did not practice Saturday after missing the first two games and is questionable to play Sunday.

3. The Blue Jackets, who were 28th in the regular season on the power play, are 3-for-6 in the series.

PREDICTION: Lightning 3, Blue Jackets 2