New York @ Tampa Bay preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 30, 2018 ) Tampa Bay 7, NY Rangers 3

The NHL-best Tampa Bay Lightning attempt to match one of their most impressive performances of the season and win a seventh straight game when the New York Rangers pay a visit on Monday night. The Lightning scored early and often Saturday before settling for a 7-1 victory over Central Division co-leader Colorado as captain Steven Stamkos recorded two goals to go along with two assists.

“It was fun to be a part of,” Stamkos told reporters Saturday after reaching 30 points on the season in 31 games. “I just thought that we deserved everything that we got today, including some bounces and some breaks. But when you’re on top of the puck like we were (Saturday), it’s going to be tough for the other team.” Tampa Bay has averaged five goals during its win streak and gained at least a point in five straight meetings (3-0-2) with the Rangers, who coughed up leads three times before beating Florida 5-4 in a shootout Saturday. “We did a lot of good things,” New York coach David Quinn told reporters. “We did things we were hoping to accomplish throughout the week in practice. We built on it, and we didn’t sustain it.” Center Mika Zibanejad scored in the win and boasts seven of his team-leading 26 points in the last five games for the Rangers, who are just 4-8-2 on the road.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, MSG (New York), FS Sun (Tampa Bay)

ABOUT THE RANGERS (14-12-3): Former Tampa Bay forward Vladislav Namestnikov scored Saturday after missing three games with a concussion while right wing Mats Zuccarello (groin) is close to returning to the lineup. Left wing Matt Beleskey, recalled from Hartford of the American Hockey League earlier in the week, scored his first NHL goal since March 2017 with Boston in the second period on Saturday. “I was just trying to bring some momentum and energy,” Beleskey told reporters. “. … I think goals are always a plus, but (the Rangers) are looking for energy, looking for a physical guy. I think that’s what I’ve done my entire career.”

ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (23-7-1): Left wing Ondrej Palat, who missed 16 games with a lower-body injury earlier this season, scored his first two goals of 2018-19 on Saturday while skating with linemates Stamkos and Yanni Gourde. Right wing Nikita Kucherov contributed an assist against Colorado, giving him 26 of his team-high 44 points in the last 13 games, and center Brayden Point leads the team with 21 goals - 12 in the past 13 contests. Goalie Louis Domingue allowed four goals in his last three starts and is 10-3-0 since taking over for injured All-Star Andrei Vasilevskiy (foot), who participated in the morning skate Saturday.

OVERTIME

1. New York G Henrik Lundqvist, who gained a point in five of his last seven starts (4-2-1), is 20-14-6 all time versus the Lightning.

2. Stamkos is two points away from joining Martin St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier as the only Tampa Bay players to reach 700.

3. The Lightning are 8-0-0 against Metropolitan Division foes and the Rangers improved to 6-3-1 versus the Atlantic with the win over Florida.

PREDICTION: Lightning 4, Rangers 2