Lightning at Sabres: Projected lines, injuries, storylines

The Lightning look to get back in the win column after dropping a 4-3 result to the Maple Leafs on Monday night in Toronto. Tampa Bay trailed 3-0 in the second period, but eventually came back to tie the game at three early in the second period. But the Leafs scored the deciding goal.
Tampa Bay has earned at least one point in nine straight games against the Sabres including eight wins during the streak.

Lines from Monday's game. Subject to change.
Forwards
Yanni Gourde - Steven Stamkos - Tyler Johnson
Alex Killorn - Brayden Point - Nikita Kucherov
Cory Conacher - Vladislav Namestnikov - Adam Erne
Chris Kunitz - Cedric Paquette - Ryan Callahan
Defensemen
Victor Hedman - Anton Stralman
Mikhail Sergachev - Dan Girardi
Braydon Coburn - Andrej Sustr
Goaltenders
Andrei Vasilevskiy or Louis Domingue
Tuesday's Matchup
The Lightning are playing their second of four meetings this season against Buffalo and the second of two at the First Niagara Center...Tampa Bay earned a 2-0 shutout win in its earlier matchup this season in Buffalo on Nov. 28, Andrei Vasilevskiy stopping all 34 shots he faced for his second shutout of the season and Mikhail Sergachev (PP) and Dan Girardi netting the Bolts' goals...The Lightning are on a nine-game point streak in Buffalo, going 8-0-1 dating back to the 2013-14 season...The Bolts have won six in a row in Buffalo, outscoring the Sabres 19-5 over that stretch...Tampa Bay has won five in a row overall against Buffalo and is 15-2-1 versus the Sabres since the start of the 2013-14 season...Andrei Vasilevskiy has won three-straight starts vs. BUF and is 6-1-0 with two shutouts in seven career starts against the Sabres...Tyler Johnson has more career assists (12) vs. BUF than any other NHL team and is on a four-game point streak (1-3--4) against the Sabres...Nikita Kucherov has recorded points in seven-straight games vs. BUF
(3-5--8)
Tuesday's Storylines
The Lightning are playing the second half of a back-to-back set tonight, their ninth of 13 back-to-back sets this season...The Bolts are 3- 4-1 so far this season in the second half of a back-to-back set...Tampa Bay is off to its best start in franchise history with 79 points through 56 games, five points better than the 74 points put up by the 2014-15 team (34-16-6) through 56 games...Despite a loss Monday, the Lightning continue to lead the NHL for wins (38), points (79), ROW (36), points percentage (.705), goals (199), goals per game (3.55) and goal differential (+52)...The Bolts lead the NHL for road victories (19), road points (40) and road goals (107)...Jon Cooper will coach his 400th career NHL game tonight.
Injuries
2017-18 Regular Season Man Games Lost: 84
Current injuries
Peter Budaj - Lower body (out indefinitely; injured Dec. 29) 19 Games
Ondrej Palat - Lower body (out 6 to 8 weeks; injured Jan. 20) 10 Games
Transactions
Feb. 8 - Recalled F Adam Erne from AHL Syracuse
Feb. 6 - Re-assigned F Michael Bournival to AHL Syracuse
In the NIk of Time
Tampa Bay right winger Nikita Kucherov recorded a goal and assist Feb. 12 at TOR for his NHL-best 24th multi-point game of the season (80th career)...Kucherov reached the 30-goal mark with his tally Monday, the third-staight season he's scored 30 or more goals...Kucherov is one of five Lightning players all-time to record multiple seasons of 30 or more goals.
Killing It
Lightning forward Alex Killorn scored a goal and added an assist Feb. 12 at TOR for his sixth multi-point game of the season and 34th of his career...Killorn has recorded points in a season-long four-straight games (3-2--5)...Killorn has more points through six games in February (10 pts) than he did in all of November (5), December (6) or January (3)...Killorn ranks second in the NHL for scoring since February 1.
Squashing Rookie Records
Tampa Bay rookie Yanni Gourde netted his 21st goal Feb. 12 at TOR, the fourth game in his last five he's scored a goal...Gourde's 21 goals are tied for the fourth most in Lightning history for a rookie.

Gourde has recorded points in a career high six-straight games (4-5--9)...Gourde has points in nine of his last 10 games (7-5--12)...Gourde's 42 points are tied for the sixth most by a rookie in Lightning history, behind only Brad Richards (62 in 2000-01), Ondrej Palat (59 in 2013-14), Tyler Johnson (50 in 2013-14), Steven Stamkos (46 in 2008-09), Rob Zamuner (43 in 1992-93) and level with Chris Gratton (42 in 1993-94)...Since Jan. 22, Gourde ranks tied for fourth in the NHL for scoring (7-5--12)...Gourde is third in the NHL for rookie scoring behind NYI's Mathew Barzal (16-43--59) and VAN's Brock Boeser (26-22--48)...Gourde ranks second in the NHL for goals among rookies.