Projected Lineup (subject to change)
Forwards
Brandon Hagel - Brayden Point - Nikita Kucherov
Steven Stamkos - Nick Paul - Alex Killorn
Ross Colton - Vladislav Namestnikov - Corey Perry
Pierre-Edouard Bellemare - Pat Maroon
Defensemen
Victor Hedman - Mikhail Sergachev
Ian Cole - Erik Cernak
Haydn Fleury - Zach Bogosian
Nick Perbix
Goaltenders
Andrei Vasilevskiy
Brian Elliott
Saturday's Matchup
The Lightning and the Maple Leafs are playing the first of three matchups this season and the first of two meetings at AMALIE Arena…The Bolts and Leafs are meeting for the first time since Game 7 in Round One of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs…Tampa Bay beat Toronto 2-1 in Game 7 with Nick Paul scoring both goals and Andrei Vasilevskiy stopping 30 of 31 shots against…The Lightning posted a 2-1-1 record in the regular season vs. TOR last season, including a 1-1-0 record at home…Steven Stamkos (2-7-9) paced the Bolts in points and assists vs. TOR last season, while Ondrej Palat led the team with three goals…The Lightning are 5-4-1 in their last 10 home games vs. TOR…Stamkos is riding a three-game point streak vs. TOR with seven points during that span (2-7-9)…Stamkos has recorded points in four consecutive home games vs. TOR (1-6-7)…Stamkos has pointed in 19 of his 22 career home games vs. TOR (10-20-30), including 13 of the last 14 home contests (5-15-20)…Nikita Kucherov has recorded points in 10 straight games vs. TOR (8-7-15)…Kucherov has pointed in six straight home games vs. TOR (5-3-8)…Victor Hedman has notched a point in five of his last six home games vs. TOR (2-5-7)…The Lightning are 44-50-8 with two ties all-time vs. TOR, including a home record of 22-25-3 with one tie…Stamkos (22-36-58) holds the Lightning franchise records for career points, assists and goals (tied) vs. TOR.
Saturday's Storylines
Tampa Bay is playing the first game of a season-long, six-game homestand tonight…The Bolts will play nine of their 14 games in December at AMALIE Arena…The Lightning are 4-2-0 against Atlantic Division opponents this season…Tampa Bay is 7-3-1 at home this season and have won four of their last five home contests…Since the start of the 2016-17 season, the Bolts have posted an NHL-best .715 points percentage (161-59-17) on home ice…The Lightning are playing the 2,300th game in franchise history tonight.
Injuries
2022-23 Regular Season Man Games Lost: 61
Current Injuries:
Rudolfs Balcers (Upper-body injury; Out Indefinitely) 3 Games
Anthony Cirelli (Shoulder surgery; Out) 23 Games
Tampa Bay Sports Item of the Game
2022 Holiday Collection/Reverse Retro Ornament
It's Day 1 of Tampa Bay Sports' 12 Days of Winning. Check out our new Holiday Collection, including this Reverse Retro Jersey Ornament. And check back each day for a collection launch or deal.
The Road Ahead
Tuesday, December 6 vs. Detroit Red Wings
Thursday, December 8 vs. Nashville Predators
Saturday, December 10 vs. Florida Panthers
