Lightning vs. Canucks: Projected lines, injuries and storylines

Three weeks since their last home game, the Lightning are back at AMALIE Arena to close out the regular season series with the Canucks.
The two teams met five days ago in Vancouver with Tampa Bay pulling out a 4-2 win. Goals from Chris Kunitz, Victor Hedman, Yanni Gourde and Cory Conacher helped the Bolts hold off a third period comeback attempt by the Canucks.

Lines from Wednesday's practice. Subject to change.
Forwards
Vladislav Namestnikov - Steven Stamkos - Nikita Kucherov
Yanni Gourde - Brayden Point - Tyler Johnson
Alex Killorn - Matthew Peca - Cory Conacher
Chris Kunitz - Cedric Paquette - Ryan Callahan
Defensemen
Victor Hedman - Jake Dotchin
Mikhail Sergachev - Anton Stralman
Braydon Coburn - Andrej Sustr
Slater Koekkoek - Dan Girardi
Goaltenders
Andrei Vasilevskiy expected to start
Thursday's Matchup
The Lightning and the Canucks are completing their two-game regular season series tonight...Tampa Bay earned a 4-2 victory in Vancouver five days ago on Feb. 3 behind goals from Chris Kunitz, Victor Hedman, Yanni Gourde and a penalty shot goal by Cory Conacher, the Bolts first successful penalty shot since 2/28/16 at BOS by Steven Stamkos...Tampa Bay has dropped two straight at home to Vancouver, scoring one goal in each of those losses, but is 4-2-1 over its last seven home games against the Canucks...Alex Killorn has five goals in eight games all-time vs. VAN, tied for the most he's scored against any team and his highest goals per game rate (.556) against any team...Victor Hedman has scored a goal in each of his last two games vs. VAN and has recorded 2-1--3 in those two contests...Nikita Kucherov has recorded points in three of his last four games vs. VAN (1-4--5)...Cory Conacher has scored a goal in each of his last two games vs. VAN.
Thursday's Storylines
The Lightning are playing their first game at home since a 4-1 loss to Vegas on Jan. 18, the 21 days between home games tied for the most days between home games in the NHL this season (also: VAN, 21 days from Jan. 2-23)...Tampa Bay has played the least amount of home games (23) in the NHL...The Bolts are playing the fourth game in a stretch of five-straight contests against Pacific Division opponents...The Lightning continue to pace the NHL for wins (36), points (75), ROW (34), goals (187), goals per game (3.53) and goal differential (+49)...Tampa Bay is off to its best start in franchise history with 75 points through 53 games, four points better than the 71 points put up by the 2014-15 team (33-15-5) through 53 games...
Injuries
2017-18 Regular Season Man Games Lost: 78
Current injuries
Peter Budaj - Lower body (out indefinitely; injured Dec. 29) 16 Games
Dan Girardi - Lower body (day-to-day; injured Jan. 30) 3 Games
Ondrej Palat - Lower body (out 6 to 8 weeks; injured Jan. 20) 7 Games
Transactions
Feb. 6 - Re-assigned F Michael Bournival to AHL Syracuse
Jan. 31 - Acquired G Edward Pasquale from Edmonton in exchange for future considerations
Jan. 29 - Recalled G Louis Domingue from AHL Syracuse
Jan. 27 - Re-assigned G Louis Domingue to AHL Syracuse
Squashing Rookie Records
Tampa Bay forward Yanni Gourde tallied a goal and assist Feb. 5 at EDM for his ninth multi-point game of the season and 10th of his career...Gourde scored his 19th goal and recorded his 38th point of the season in Edmonton and ranks tied for second among NHL rookies for goals and third among rookies for points...Gourde is one of just five Bolts rookies all-time to reach the 19-goal mark, joining Tyler Johnson (24 in 2013-14), Steven Stamkos (23 in 2008-09), Ondrej Palat (23 in 2013-14) and Brad Richards (21 in 2000-01)...Gourde's last eight goals have all come on the road...Gourde has points in three-straight games (2-3--5) and six of his last seven games (5-3--8)...Gourde ranks second in the NHL for shooting percentage (20.7%).
Johnny on the Spot
Lightning forward Tyler Johnson tallied his 250th career point Feb. 5 at EDM with his assist on Yanni Gourde's third period powerplay goal...Since Nov. 25, Johnson ranks second on the Bolts for scoring with 12 goals and 18 assists in 30 games behind only Nikita Kucherov (10-22--32).
Andrei the Giant
Bolts goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy saw his four-game win streak come to an end Feb. 5 at EDM after giving up four goals on 26 shots and getting pulled to start the third period...Despite the loss, Vasilevskiy continues to lead the NHL for wins.
Vasilevskiy's 31 wins are the fourth most in a single season in Lightning history, joining Ben Bishop (40 in 2014-15; 37 in 2013-14; 35 in 2015-16) as the only Bolts goalies to record 31 or more wins...Vasilevskiy leads the NHL for shutouts with 7 (no other goalie has more than 5) and tied the Tampa Bay franchise record for most shutouts in a season set previously by Nikolai Khabibulin in 2001-02...Six of Vasilevskiy's seven shutouts have come on the road, a Bolts franchise record for most road shutouts in a season.