Ducks @ Lightning

Who will WIN this matchup?

Anaheim Ducks (10-10-5)

@ Tampa Bay Lightning (17-6-1)

Starting Goalies:

John Gibson(ANA): Likely

Louis Domingue (TB): Confirmed 

Current odds:

Anaheim Ducks: (+200)

Tampa Bay Lightning: (-240)

• The Tampa Bay Lightning have scored 10 goals combined in the first period during the last three games and red-hot right wing Nikita Kucherov helped set up half of them while also posting a power-play tally. Kucherov attempts to extend his point streak to seven games as the Lightning look to get the jump in the opening 20 minutes again when they host the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday night. Kucherov, who had 100 points last season to finish third in the league, has scored twice and recorded 12 assists during his six-game streak to take over the team lead with 32 points – one more than linemate Brayden Point.

• The Ducks, who won at Tampa Bay last season, saw their four-game point streak overall (2-0-2) come to an end with a injury-depleted defense corps after a 5-2 loss at Nashville on Sunday to open a five-game road trip. “To me, it’s about defense,” Anaheim coach Randy Carlyle told reporters. “We can be criticized for lack of offense, but the reality is, we need to be able to hold the opposition to one goal or two goals. … Where we’re set up, the way we are with this group right now and the personnel that we have in place, we have to win the 1-0 game or the 2-1 game. Simple as that.

• Top-pair defenseman Hampus Lindholm (lower body) participated in the morning skate Sunday and could be closing in on a return to the lineup after missing the last four games. Defenseman Brandon Montour had a minus-2 rating Sunday, but posted an assist and extended his point streak to four games (one goal, five assists) while doubling his total on the season to 12 points. Captain Ryan Getzlaf has two goals and three assists in the last four contests to lead the team with 17 points – one more than Rickard Rakell, who has three in the past two games.

• Point tops the team with 17 goals and has eight in the past six games after being credited with a pair in Sunday’s 5-2 victory over New Jersey – Tampa Bay’s fifth win in six contests. “The way he plays the game, the way he skates and makes reads, he’s always in the right spot defensively,” defenseman Victor Hedman told reporters of Point. “He’s a treat to watch and a treat to have him on the team. He’s a complete player.” Tyler Johnson, the third player on the red-hot line with Point and Kucherov, has three goals in two games to reach 10 on the season.

• Anaheim G John Gibson has a .934 save percentage and 2.01 goals-against average against the Lightning in his career, but only a 2-3-0 record.

• Tampa Bay G Louis Domingue has made seven straight starts and owns six wins over the last eight outings to go along with a .913 SP in November.

• Former Lightning Ds Jake Dotchin and Andrej Sustr could be in the lineup for the Ducks on Tuesday.