Tampa Bay @ Winnipeg preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 30, 2018 ) Tampa Bay 1, Winnipeg 3

The Tampa Bay Lightning attempt to match the franchise record with a ninth straight victory as they begin a four-game road trip to Western Canada with a showdown against the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday night. The Lightning have averaged five goals during their eight-game streak after knocking off Toronto 4-1 on Thursday and face a Winnipeg team that has scored 22 times while winning four in a row.

“It’s for sure going to be a good test for us,” Tampa Bay center Anthony Cirelli told reporters of the trip that includes stops in Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton. “They’re four really good teams that we’re going to be up against and all at or near the top of the West. I think we’re excited for the challenge and we’re ready to go.” The Lightning have All-Star goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy back from a foot injury as he tied the franchise record with 48 saves Thursday during his first game in more than a month, and he'll face the Jets' offense that includes the second-leading goal scorer in the league and two of the top six point producers through Friday. Center Mark Scheifele is wielding the hottest stick for Winnipeg with four goals and seven assists during a four-game point streak to match captain Blake Wheeler for the team lead at 43 points. “We need him to be that kind of player for us and he has been,” Jets center Bryan Little told reporters of Scheifele. “He’s delivered. It seems like he’s always scoring those big goals when we need them. He’s a leader in the dressing room, a leader on the ice.”

TV: 7 p.m. ET, TVA, FS Sun (Tampa Bay), Sportsnet (Winnipeg)

ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (25-7-1): Cirelli, a 21-year-old former third-round pick, was tied for second in the league with three short-handed goals entering Saturday and has scored in each of the last four games - totaling five of his nine goals on the season. Right wing Nikita Kucherov notched five of his team-best 47 points during his current four-game point streak and Brayden Point boasts 12 of his team-leading 21 goals in the past 15 contests. Defenseman Anton Stralman (upper body) is expected to return to the lineup at some point during the trip after missing more than a month while rookie forward Mathieu Joseph (nine goals) could miss his second straight game with a lower-body injury.

ABOUT THE JETS (21-9-2): Right wing Patrik Laine scored in each of the last two contests to increase his team-leading goal total to 23 and owns a four-game point streak after being kept off the scoresheet the first four outings of December. Forward Mathieu Perreault netted a goal in each of the last three contests, doubling his total on the season, while recording at least a point in four straight and seven of eight this month. “He’s obviously been really versatile for us all year. He’s kind of our swiss army knife,” Wheeler told reporters of Perreault. “. … It seems like whenever he’s given an opportunity for more ice time, more minutes, he makes the most of it.”

OVERTIME

1. Winnipeg G Connor Hellebuyck is 5-1-0 in his last six games and owns a .927 save percentage in five December outings.

2. Tampa Bay captain C Steven Stamkos was kept off the scoresheet Thursday, but owns eight goals in his last eight games.

3. Jets D Josh Morrissey has nine points in six games this month after managing three in 12 contests during November.

PREDICTION: Jets 4, Lightning 3