Tampa Bay @ Vegas preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 4, 2020 ) Vegas 2, Tampa Bay 4

The Tampa Bay Lightning hope to continue adding to their franchise-record winning streak while equaling another historic mark when they visit the surging Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday night. The Lightning beat Colorado 4-3 in overtime Monday for their 11th straight win overall and can match the team record for consecutive road victories (seven) - set back in 2007 - by knocking off Vegas.

“It’s pretty surreal this run we’ve been on the last couple of months,” Tampa Bay backup goalie Curtis McElhinney told reporters after earning the win Monday. “This 11-game run has been a lot of fun. It’s special, it seems like we’re going about our business and it’s not really so much about the streak.” The Lightning have allowed three or fewer goals in 22 straight, including a 4-2 victory at home Feb. 4 over the Golden Knights, but Vegas comes in after three consecutive wins to open a five-game homestand. The Golden Knights own a 7-3-2 record in 12 games since Peter DeBoer replaced Gerard Gallant as coach and are riding high after knocking off Washington 3-2 on Monday, which followed a 1-0 shutout of the New York Islanders. “We’re real close, there’s always an adjustment period,” DeBoer told reporters Monday. “I think these guys have really embraced what we’re asking them to do and they’re getting rewarded for it, which helps speed the process. I like how we’re defending. I think we’re going to be able to score goals. I don’t think that’s going to be an issue.”

TIME: 10 p.m. ET. TV: FS Sun, AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain, Sportsnet

ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (40-15-5): Right wing Nikita Kucherov scored the winner Monday, swiping the puck from Nathan MacKinnon for a breakaway and coach Jon Cooper told reporters: “He’s a smart player. Those guys were out there for a little bit on Colorado. That’s Kuch thinking the game. … He just has elite hockey IQ.” Kucherov has made the scoresheet in his last 14 games and leads the team with 29 goals and 73 points while captain Steven Stamkos owns at least a point in his past 12. Andrei Vasilevskiy (league-high 32 wins) is expected back in net Thursday and has earned at least a point in 21 straight starts (19-0-2).

ABOUT THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS (31-22-8): Right wing Mark Stone was kept off the scoresheet in four of his last five games, but leads the team with 57 points - one more than left wing Max Pacioretty, who boasts six goals in his past eight games to push his team-best total to 27. Right wing Reilly Smith scored in each of the last two games to sit second on the team with 23 goals while Jonathan Marchessault has 20 goals for the fourth straight season. Marc-Andre Fleury (23-14-5, .906 save percentage) stopped 44 of 46 shots in winning the last two contests and is 20-13-4 in his career versus the Lightning.

OVERTIME

1. Vegas C William Karlsson registered three assists in four games since missing four weeks with a finger injury.

2. Tampa Bay F Blake Coleman is expected to make his debut with the team after being acquired from New Jersey on Monday.

3. The Golden Knights traded two second-round picks to Los Angeles on Wednesday in exchange for veteran D Alec Martinez.

PREDICTION: Golden Knights 3, Lightning 2