Preview: Canes at Lightning

TAMPA, FL. -The Carolina Hurricanes and Tampa Bay Lightning put a bow on their three-game regular season series tonight, meeting for the third and final time.

When: Tuesday, March 29, 7 p.m. EST
Watch:ESPN+, Hulu
Listen:99.9 The Fan, Hurricanes.com/Listen, Hurricanes App
Canes Record:44-15-7 (95 Points, 1st - Metropolitan Division)
Canes Last Game:6-1 Win over the Washington Capitals on Monday, March 28.
Lightning Record:41-18-6 (88 Points, 2nd - Atlantic Division)
Lightning Last Game:4-1 Win over the New York Islanders on Sunday, March 27.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS:
THE QUICK HITS:
Last Time Out:The Canes offense put up a six spot in the nation's capital Monday, now totaling 13 goals over their last two outings. Martin Necas led the way with a pair of goals and Max Domi contributed a pair of assists in just his third game with the team. Frederik Andersen backstopped
the 6-1 victory
with 25 stops on 26 shots. There was some concern post-game though, as Jesperi Kotkaniemi was blindsided by Lars Eller with just 1.6 seconds to go in regulation and the early offerings after the final horn regarding were "not good".
Nice To See You Again:Carolina and Tampa played just one week ago tonight at PNC Arena in Raleigh. The Canes were the better team throughout, but it was another outstanding evening for Andrei Vasilevskiy, who kept the opposition from running away with the game. Carolina's special teams was the difference in what wound up being a 3-2 final score, but what most may remember from the contest is the gathering that occurred after the final horn. Nikita Kucherov attempted to go after Sebastian Aho, bringing everyone from both benches together and setting the stage for tonight.
Here Comes Marty:Now with four goals in his last four games and five points in his last two outings, Martin Necas appears to have found his scoring touch once again. After going over six weeks without a goal from mid-January to early March, #88's uptick in production has been a welcomed addition to the recently scorching offense.
The Dynamic Duo:Sebastian Aho and Teuvo Teravainen both enter tonight on four-game point streaks. The two connected for a

last night.
In The Crease:Thus far this season the Canes have split back-to-backs when it comes to their goaltenders and with Frederik Andersen having played last night, Antti Raanta could make his 20th start of the season this evening. Raanta most recently played Saturday in St. Louis, turning away 30/32 for his 11th win of the season. He's made 30 or more saves in four of his last five outings.
Updates Later:Because today is the second half of two games in as many days, the Canes are not holding a morning skate. Any questions about the lineup and any potential information on Kotkaniemi would come when Rod Brind'Amour meets with the media at 4:45 p.m.
A Look At The Other Side:The Lightning just concluded a stretch of 11 games in 11 different cities, with 10 of them coming away from Tampa. Althought they are 4-6 in their last ten, they ended the trip with back-to-back wins, besting Detroit and the Islanders in consecutive days. Paced by Steven Stamkos offensively, the team's attack featuring Kucherov, Brayden Point and Victor Hedman is always a threat, with all four of those players having double-digit points over the course of the last month.
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
More Milestones: Max Domi's first goal with the Canes will be his 100th of his NHL career. Jordan Staal is two points shy of 600 for his career. Andrei Svechnikov is two points shy of 200 for his Hurricanes and NHL career.
What Are We Wearing?:The team will be wearing their white sweaters tonight.
Worth A Click:
Recap: Offense Stays Hot, Canes Dominate Caps, 6-1
Mailbag #21: After The Deadline
Kotkaniemi Elated To Be A Cane For The Long Haul
Hurricanes March Schedule
NHL Standings