Tampa Bay @ St. Louis preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 7, 2019 ) St. Louis 1, Tampa Bay 0

The Tampa Bay Lightning continue to steam toward the NHL record for wins in a season and hope to climb a little closer when they finish a three-game road trip against the St. Louis Blues on Saturday night. The Lightning won their seventh straight game Thursday by rallying for an eighth win when trailing after two periods with a 6-3 triumph at Carolina, closing to within four of Detroit’s record 62 wins in 1995-96 with seven contests to go.

“I think it’s just our composure, our demeanor,” Tampa Bay right wing Ryan Callahan told reporters of his team’s ability to battle back. “Everybody talks about it in the media the type of season we’re having, but very rarely do you hear us mention it in here. We’re always trying to build our game. We know the real season starts in two weeks here, and that’s what we’re focused on.” The Blues also look to be headed to the postseason after recording at least a point in four straight games and a 24-9-4 record - including a 1-0 overtime win over the Lightning at St. Louis on Feb. 7 - since sitting last in the league when the calendar turned to 2019. St. Louis is eight points clear in the race to clinch a playoff berth after knocking off Detroit 5-2 on Thursday as Ivan Barbashev recorded his first career hat trick and Patrick Maroon scored for the fourth straight game. Maroon told reporters: “Going down the stretch ... you’re gonna need the third and fourth line to step up because you never know with the first two lines, it could be a dogfight.”

TV: 8 p.m. ET, FS Sun (Tampa Bay), FS Midwest (St. Louis)

ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (58-13-4): Callahan has been relegated to a healthy scratch much of the last two months, but came through with the game-winning goal, five shots and seven hits Thursday. Right wing Nikita Kucherov had an assist Thursday to become the first player to reach 120 points in a season since Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby in 2006-07. Captain Steven Stamkos owns nine points in his last five games, moving within two of his fifth 40-goal season and first since 2014-15, while Brayden Point tops the team with 39 and leads the league with 20 power-play tallies.

ABOUT THE BLUES (39-27-8): Forward Alexander Steen had three assists Thursday to reach 600 points (601) and become half of the fourth father-son duo, along with his dad Thomas, to each accumulate 600 points in NHL history - joining Gordie and Mark Howe, Bobby and Brett Hull and Peter and Paul Stastny. “Something to look back on later,” Steen told reporters. “Cool names to be in there with.” Center Ryan O’Reilly has just two of his team-leading 69 points in the last five games while left wing David Perron has registered at least a point in his last 17 appearances, totaling nine goals and 13 assists.

OVERTIME

1. St. Louis C Tyler Bozak needs one point for 400 and D Alex Pietrangelo is one assist from 300.

2. Tampa Bay D Victor Hedman is riding a seven-game point streak, in which he has registered two goals and eight assists.

3. Lightning F Yanni Gourde (20 goals, 44 points) was suspended two games for an illegal check to the head of Carolina F Jordan Staal during Thursday's contest.

PREDICTION: Lightning 4, Blues 2