Projected Lineup (subject to change)
Forwards
Ondrej Palat - Brayden Point - Nikita Kucherov
Alex Killorn - Anthony Cirelli - Steven Stamkos
Corey Perry - Ross Colton - Mathieu Joseph
Patrick Maroon - Pierre-Edouard Bellemare - Taylor Raddysh
Defensemen
Victor Hedman - Jan Rutta
Ryan McDonagh - Erik Cernak
Mikhail Sergachev - Zach Bogosian
Goaltenders
Andrei Vasilevskiy
Brian Elliott
Tuesday's Matchup
Tampa Bay opens the 2021-22 regular season by hosting the Pittsburgh Penguins at AMALIE Arena...The Lightning are opening the season against the Penguins for the third time in franchise history and first time since 1996-97...The Bolts are 1-1-0 all-time in season openers against the Pens...Tampa Bay and Pittsburgh are playing for the first time since Feb. 11, 2020, a 2-1 OT Lightning win at PPG Paints Arena, Yanni Gourde netting the game- winner 2:45 into OT...The Bolts have won four in a row over the Penguins...The Lightning have won seven of their last nine regular season meetings against the Pens...Tonight will be the 99th regular season meeting between the two teams all-time...Tampa Bay is 43-47-3 with five ties all-time vs. Pittsburgh...The Bolts have won five in a row and eight of the last nine at home vs. PIT...Victor Hedman is on a five-game point streak vs. PIT (1-6--7 pts.)...Nikita Kucherov has points in three-straight games vs. PIT (1-3--4 pts.)...Kucherov is Tampa Bay's all-time points per game leader vs. PIT (1.21, 7-16--23 pts. in 19 GP) among Bolts with a minimum 10 games...Andrei Vasilevskiy has 8 wins in 11 career starts vs. PIT; he'll tie Daren Puppa (12 GS vs. PIT) for most starts by a TBL goalie vs. PIT with his next start against the Penguins.
Tuesday's Storylines
The Lightning are opening the regular season at home for the eighth-consecutive season and are 7-0-0 in their last seven regular season openers, outscoring their opponents 28-15...Tampa Bay is 19-7-0 with two ties all-time in season openers and owns the NHL's best points percentage in season- opening contests (.714)...The Lightning have won their last nine home openers and are 18-7-1 with two ties all-time in the opening home game of a new season...Tampa Bay is the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions and will raise the banner for their 2021 Stanley Cup Championship tonight...The Lightning are looking to become the first NHL team to win three-consecutive Stanley Cups since the NY Islanders won four in a row from 1980-83 and join the Islanders, Montreal and Toronto as just the fourth franchise in NHL history to win three straight.
Injuries
2021-22 Regular Season Man Games Lost: 0
Current injuries
Cal Foote (Surgery to repair tendon in finger; Out)
Gemel Smith (Lower-body injury Sept. 28; Out indefinitely)
Play It Safe
The well-being of our guests and staff is our top priority. As we return to play, we will be implementing new health and safety protocols based on current public health recommendations, including those set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and local agencies, which are evolving as new information is available.
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The Road Ahead
Thursday, October 14 at Detroit Red Wings
Saturday, October 16 at Washington Capitals
Tuesday, October 19 vs. Florida Panthers
