PROJECTED LINES
Lines are from Wednesday's practice at AMALIE Arena, and subject to change. Thursday's morning skate was optional. Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said Brian Boyle and Braydon Coburn will be game-time decisions.
Forwards
Ondrej Palat - Vladislav Namestnikov - Nikita Kucherov
Jonathan Drouin - Valtteri Filppula - Brian Boyle
Alex Killorn - Tyler Johnson - Matthew Peca
Michael Bournival - Cedric Paquette - Gabriel Dumont
Defensemen
Victor Hedman
-
Anton Stralman
Jason Garrison
-
Nikita Nesterov
Braydon Coburn -
Andrej Sustr
(with Luke Witkowski mixing in)
Goalie
Ben Bishop expected to start
THURSDAY'S MATCHUP
The Lightning and the Sabres are playing their second of four meetings this season and first of two at AMALIE Arena tonight...The Bolts scored a 4-1 victory in Buffalo on November 17, winning four-consecutive games in Buffalo for the first time since March 19, 1995 to Oct. 15, 1996...Alex Killorn scored the game-winning goal and added an assist for a two-point night...Brayden Point registered his first career multi-point game in the NHL with a goal and an assist...Tampa Bay has won 11 of its last 14 games against Buffalo, going 11-2-1 over that stretch...The Lightning are 34-45-7 with five ties all-time versus the Sabres...The Bolts have won four of their last five at home against the Sabres and are 15-24-4 with three ties all-time at home versus Buffalo.
LIGHTNING-SABRES STORYLINES
The Lightning are 0-4-0 in 2017 and are still looking for their first victory in the new year...The Bolts are beginning their second set of back-to-back games in a stretch of three-consecutive back-to-back sets...Tampa Bay is hoping to avoid its first five-game losing skidsince dropping five in a row and going 0-3-2 from March 2-10, 2014.
INJURIES
2016-17 Regular Season Man Games Lost: 119
Brian Boyle - Lower-body injury (DAY-TO-DAY; INJURED DEC. 31) 4 Games
JT Brown - Upper-body injury (DAY-TO-DAY; INJURED JAN. 7) 1 Game
Ryan Callahan - Lower-body injury (DAY-TO-DAY; INJURED JAN. 7) 1 Game
Braydon Coburn - Upper-body injury (DAY-TO-DAY; INJURED JAN. 5) 2 Games
Brayden Point - Upper-body injury (OUT 4-6 WEEKS; INJURED DEC. 28) 6 Games
Steven Stamkos - Lateral meniscus tear in right knee (OUT APPROXIMATELY 4 MONTHS; INJURED NOV. 15) 25 Games
TRANSACTIONS
Jan. 10 - Re-assigned D Slater Koekkoek to AHL Syracuse
Jan. 10 - Re-assigned G Kristers Gudlevskis to AHL Syracuse
Jan. 10 - Recalled F Gabriel Dumont from AHL Syracuse
Jan. 10 - Recalled G Kristers Gudlevskis from AHL Syracuse
Jan. 10 - Re-assigned G Adam Wilcox to AHL Syracuse
Jan. 9 - Re-assigned F Adam Erne to AHL Syracuse
Jan. 9 - Re-assigned F Erik Condra to AHL Syracuse
Jan. 8 - Recalled F Michael Bournival from AHL Syracuse
Jan. 8 - Recalled F Erik Condra from AHL Syracuse
Jan. 6 - Recalled D Luke Witkowski from AHL Syracuse
Jan. 4 - Recalled G Adam Wilcox from AHL Syracuse
Jan. 4 - Re-assigned F Michael Bournival to AHL Syracuse
Jan. 4 - Re-assigned G Kristers Gudlevskis to AHL Syracuse
Jan. 4 - Re-assigned F Yanni Gourde to AHL Syracuse
BACK TO BACK
The Lightning have 16 sets of back-to-back games this season, their most back-to-back sets in a season since 16 were on the schedule in 2010-11 (most all-time back-to-back sets: 19 during 1997-98 and 1993-94 seasons)...The Lightning are currently playing the second set of a stretch of three back-to-back sets in 11 days...The Bolts game tonight versus Buffalo is the first half of their eighth back-to-back set this season.
