Lightning aim to break franchise mark at Devils
NEWARK, N.J. -- This season's edition of the Tampa Bay Lightning owns the team record for wins and is likely to set the team record for points. With 51 wins, the Lightning exceeded the total of the 108-point 2014-15 club that reached the Stanley Cup Final. They also own 106 points, matching the total by the 2003-04 championship team, which held the record until 2015. Tampa Bay gets its first opportunity to match the club record for points in a season Saturday when it visits the New Jersey Devils. The Lightning (51-19-4) might be playing for a chance to exceed the mark but are 0-1-1 in the first two meetings with New Jersey. Since a 4-3 home loss to the Devils on Feb. 17, Tampa Bay is 12-2-1 in its last 15. Nine of those wins are by one goal, including Thursday when the Lightning held on for a 7-6 win over the New York Islanders after owning a four-game lead through the first two periods. "A win's a win, but definitely not the way we want to win," Tampa Bay's Steven Stamkos said. "When you're in a game like we were tonight going into the third, it should be just close them out." In the one-goal wins, the Lightning have allowed 12 third-period goals, with five instances of allowing multiple goals in the last period of regulation, but getting those wins pulled Tampa Bay into a tie with Nashville for the league lead. "Give the guys a pat on the back for doing what they've done," Lightning coach Jon Cooper told reporters. J.T. Miller scored twice Thursday, giving him six since being acquired from the New York Rangers. Stamkos set up one of Miller's goals and has 15 assists since Feb. 17. Defenseman Victor Hedman scored for the third straight game and six of his 14 goals are during this current run. Andrei Vasilevskiy picked up his league-best 42nd win and likely will play Saturday. He is 7-1 when facing at least 40 shots and allowed three goals or more in 18 of his last 26 starts. "It's not always going to be 2-1 or 3-2," Cooper told reporters. "Sometimes it's about getting the win, and 'Vasy' found a way to get the win, especially now at a trying time when we gave up three (goals in the third) and now he's got to close it out for us. He closed it out." The Devils (38-28-8) are returning home after a mostly successful six-game road trip. They won the first three before dropping consecutive games at Anaheim and San Jose but secured a winning trip with a 4-3 overtime win at Pittsburgh on Friday. New Jersey occupies the eighth spot with eight games remaining. The Devils are three points ahead of Florida, which has 10 games left. Taylor Hall secured the extra point by scoring on a breakaway 27 seconds into overtime. "To be honest, I'm pretty tired," Hall told reporters of his muted celebration after the game-winner. "It was a hard game. So, I'll save the celebrations for the end of the year when we're hopefully in the playoffs." Hall also added two assists for his fifth three-point game and 24th game with at least two points. Hall has 33 goals and scored three times on the trip. Keith Kinkaid made 40 saves and improved to 7-2-0 in his last nine starts. Devils coach John Hynes did not say if Kinkaid or struggling Cory Schneider would start Saturday. If Schneider starts, he will be looking to snap a significant slump. He is 0-9-2 in his last 11 starts with a .868 save percentage since Dec. 27 and allowed four goals before being pulled in the second period Tuesday. "All I've ever tried to do is just put my head down and work as hard as I can," Schneider told reporters after Thursday's practice. "Sometimes you're able to play your way out of it. This isn't one of those instances for me. I've been fortunate. Coach has been good with me in terms of that. But we're at the point of the year where we don't have much time." New Jersey's two wins over Tampa Bay are one-goal victories. Kyle Palmieri scored the lone goal in the shootout in a 5-4 home win on Oct. 17. Exactly four months later, backup goalie Eddie Lack made 48 saves in a 4-3 win at Tampa Bay. |