Lines from Monday's practice. Subject to change.
Forwards
Vladislav Namestnikov - Steven Stamkos - Nikita Kucherov
Ondrej Palat - Brayden Point - Tyler Johnson
Alex Killorn - Yanni Gourde - Cory Conacher
Chris Kunitz - Cedric Paquette - JT Brown
Defensemen
Victor Hedman - Jake Dotchin
Anton Stralman - Mikhail Sergachev
Braydon Coburn - Dan Girardi
Slater Koekkoek - Andrej Sustr
Goaltenders
Andrei Vasilevskiy or Peter Budaj
Tuesday's Matchup
Tonight's game is the final game in a stretch of six-consecutive games against Western Conference opponents for Tampa Bay...The Lightning's 12-1-0 record against Western Conference teams is the best record by an East team against the West...The Bolts and the Golden Knights are playing the first-ever meeting between the two teams tonight...Vegas and Tampa Bay will play again in 30 days on January 18 when the Golden Knights visit Tampa for the first time.
Tuesday's Storylines
The Lightning continue to pace the NHL for wins (24), points (50), ROW (23), points percentage (.781), goals (122) and goal differential (+43)...Tampa Bay is off to its best start in franchise history with 50 points through 32 games, nine points better than the 41 points put up by the 2014-15 team (19-10-3) through 31 games...The Lightning lead the NHL for goals per game (3.81) and rank third for goals against per game (2.47) and are the only League team in the top three in both categories...The Bolts' current seven-game win streak is the third-longest in franchise history and two wins from matching the longest win streak for Tampa Bay all-time (9-straight wins from Feb. 18 to March 5, 2016)...The Lightning own the best road points percentage (.719) in the NHL...With three wins already on the current road trip, the Lightning are attempting to sweep a road trip of four or more games for just the second time in team history (also swept a four-game road trip from Feb. 26 to March 3, 2016).
Injuries
2017-18 Regular Season Man Games Lost: 34
Current injuries
Ryan Callahan - Upper body (Indefinite) 1 Game
Transactions
Dec. 8 - Re-assigned D Jamie McBain to AHL Syracuse
In the Nik of Time
Tampa Bay right wing Nikita Kucherov tallied a goal and assist Dec. 16 at COL to extend his goal streak to four games, his second longest goal streak of the season...Kucherov has scored at least one goal in 20 of 32 games this season...Kucherov is tied for the NHL goal lead.
Tampa Bay improved to 18-1-1 this season when Kucherov scores a goal...Kucherov's 23 goals are tied for the second most through 32 team games in Lightning history...Kucherov recorded his NHL-best 16th multi-point game of the season on Saturday...Kucherov paces the NHL for scoring.
Kucherov's 46 points are tied for the second most through 32 team games in Lightning history...Over the last two seasons, Kucherov leads the NHL for goals with 63 (second: PIT's Sidney Crosby - 58) and ranks second for scoring with 131 points (first: EDM's Connor McDavid - 140).
Sergalicious
Lightning rookie defenseman Mikhail Sergachev tallied a goal and assist Dec. 16 at COL for his fifth multi-point game of 2017-18...Sergachev scored the game-winning goal in Colorado for his fifth game-winning goal of the season, which ranks second on the Bolts and tied for sixth overall in the NHL...Sergachev became the fourth rookie blueliner in NHL history to score five or more gamewinning goals in a season.
Sergachev leads all rookie defensemen for scoring (8-15--23) and goals...Sergachev has points in eight of his last 10 games (3-6--9)...Sergachev ranks second among NHL blueliners for goals and tied for eighth for points...Sergachev leads all NHL defensemen (minimum 10 games) for points per 60 minutes (2.87).
