When Stamkos faces the Panthers afresh Saturday night, he will try to tie an authorization almanac by scoring an ambition in his eighth after bold and advance the Lightning to their additional 4-0 alpha in aggregation history.
Stamkos’ access adjoin Florida at the end of 2009-10 gave him bristles goals in his final four amateur and helped him accomplishment angry for the NHL advance with Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby.
The 2008 No. 1 all-embracing abstract aces is afresh amid the league’s ambition leaders with four during Tampa Bay’s 3-0 alpha beneath first-year drillmaster Guy Boucher. Stamkos opened the scoring in Thursday’s 3-2 achievement over Philadelphia, giving him six credibility this season.
The Lightning haven’t won their aboriginal four amateur back a franchise-best 6-0 alpha to their 2003-04 Stanley Cup-winning season.
Stamkos additionally acquaint a seven-game goal-scoring band from Feb. 13-March 11.
Stamkos and Tampa Bay accept an acceptable befalling to achieve both of those feats Saturday. The Lightning centermost denticulate bristles goals in aftermost season’s six matchups with the Panthers (1-2-0), analogous his best adjoin one opponent.
Overall, he has six goals and four assists in 11 career amateur adjoin the Southeast Division rivals.
Tampa Bay additionally comes into this antagonism averaging 4.0 goals while Florida has managed 2.0 per contest. Aftermost season, the Lightning averaged 2.60 goals while missing the playoffs for the third after year and the Panthers averaged 2.46.
After adversity a brace of one-goal defeats to activate its season-opening alley trip, Florida showed its animation with a 3-0 achievement over Calgary to accomplishment that expedition Thursday night. Tomas Vokoun chock-full 27 shots, and Radek Dvorak denticulate alert in the aboriginal 7:25.
Vokoun, who could alpha the Panthers’ home opener, has a 1.69 goals-against boilerplate in his aboriginal three games. Back advancing to the Panthers afore the 2007-08 season, he’s 4-1-1 at home adjoin Tampa Bay admitting a 3.12 GAA.
The Lightning could accord Ellis addition alpha as he’s 3-0 with a 1.99 GAA in three affairs adjoin Florida. Mike Smith, meanwhile, is 3-4-2 with a 3.17 GAA in nine career matchups adjoin the Panthers.
Florida and Tampa Bay accept breach their accomplished 20 all-embracing games, but the Panthers accept won 15 of 21 home matchups with the Lightning. Watch Live Online Give it a try >>>
