[7:10 PM] Lightning @ Blue Jackets

Who will WIN this matchup?

Tampa Bay Lightning (13-9-1)

@ Columbus Blue Jackets (11-5-4)

 

Starting Goalies:

Andrei Vasilevskiy(TB): Confirmed

Sergei Bobrovsky(CBJ): Likely

 

• The Columbus Blue Jackets are off to their second best 20-game start in franchise history and look to continue riding that wave when they host the struggling Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday night. The Blue Jackets, who were buried by stumbles out of the gate the last few seasons, have lost just once in regulation the last eight games to open 11-5-4 – second only to a 14-6-0 start they had in 2010-11.

• The Lightning are fading a bit again after losing three of their last four games, including a 5-3 defeat at home against the Blue Jackets last Friday. Tampa Bay could get top-pair defenseman Anton Stralman back soon, but may be without left wing Ondrej Palat after he took an elbow to the head in the 4-1 loss at Boston on Sunday.

• Coach Jon Cooper continued to juggle his lines to try and get something going with Palat injured Sunday and rookie Brayden Point, who has five points in the last six games, moved to his natural center position for the first time in the NHL. Point prospered while playing in the third period primarily with Alex Killorn and Jonathan Drouin, who finished with a Lightning season-high eight shots.

• Alexander Wennberg is beginning to become the No. 1 center Columbus envisioned when he was picked 14th overall in 2013 while recording four goals and a team-best 15 assists. Forward Cam Atkinson leads the balanced offense with 20 points – 16 in 13 November games, with a plus-6 rating in that span.

• Lightning RW Nikita Kucherov leads the team with 11 goals (10 in November) and 26 points (19 in the last 15 games).

 

StreakSmarts Pick: Columbus Blue Jackets

Confidence: 4/10

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