Carolina @ Tampa Bay preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 6, 2019 ) Tampa Bay 3, Carolina 4

The Tampa Bay Lightning hope to rebound from a heartbreaking setback and avoid a three-game losing streak only 24 hours later when they host the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday night. The Lightning took a two-goal lead into the third period at Washington on Friday and left the arena with a 4-3 overtime loss after falling to St. Louis two days earlier by the same score in regulation.

“We had our chances, but you can’t sit here and say, well, we had really good chances and didn’t bury them,” Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper told reporters after Friday’s defeat. “We’ve got to do a better job of keeping the puck out of our net, and in the third period we didn’t.” The Lightning earned a point in the first of three games against Carolina this season Oct. 6, but were outshot 44-13 in a 4-3 overtime loss, and are likely to use former Hurricane Curtis McElhinney in net again after he stopped 40 shots in that first meeting. The Hurricanes have cooled off a bit with two straight losses after suffering their first shutout of the season 3-0 against Nashville at home Friday night. Carolina had won six of seven before losing on the road against the New York Rangers 3-2 on Wednesday, and registered 31 shots in Friday’s loss while going 0-for-3 on the power play - falling to 2-for-20 with the man advantage over the past seven games.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS Carolinas, FS Sun (Tampa Bay)

ABOUT THE HURRICANES (15-10-1): Right wing Andrei Svechnikov saw his nine-game point streak come to an end Friday despite registering three shots, but leads the team with 28 points overall (11 goals). Forward Sebastian Aho was held without a shot by Nashville and has not scored in the past two games after scoring nine of his team-leading 12 goals in the first 12 games this month. Petr Mrazek (11-6-1) stopped 25 shots to suffer his third loss in four games and backup James Reimer (4-4-0, 2.71 goals-against average, .910 save percentage) is likely to go for his second straight shutout after blanking Detroit on Sunday.

ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (12-8-3): Reigning Hart Trophy winner Nikita Kucherov continues to heat up as the Russian right wing recorded three assists Friday to push his team-leading point total to 27 with 14 coming in his past seven contests. Captain Steven Stamkos was left off the scoresheet against Washington after missing the previous three games with a lower-body injury, while 23-year-old center Brayden Point scored his 100th career goal and fifth in the past five contests. Tampa Bay will get a boost on the blueline as Eric Cernak is eligible for Saturday's contest after serving a two-game suspension for an illegal elbow.

OVERTIME

1. Carolina D Dougie Hamilton (26 points, tied for second on the team) had a goal and an assist in the first meeting this season.

2. Tampa Bay D Mikhail Sergachev has scored all of his three goals in the past five games and boasts a plus-9 rating overall.

3. Hurricanes 20-year-old F Martin Necas has not scored in three games after netting half his six goals in the previous six contests.

PREDICTION: Lightning 5, Hurricanes 3