After securing their fourth consecutive victory, the Tampa Bay Lightning will play their second game of a back-to-back, this time against the Devils in New Jersey. The puck is scheduled to drop at 7:30.
The Bolts are currently the hottest team in the entire National Hockey League, sitting atop the standings with ten points. They have seen incredible performances from a wide variety of players, especially Nikita Kucherov who has scored seven goals in just six games. Steven Stamkos is quietly having a great start to the year, recording one goal and assists.
Tampa Bay has only played in one other set of back-to-back games this season. Similarly to this time, they won the first game. However, the Lightning hope to accomplish something they could not do earlier and win the second game.
The New Jersey Devils have also been off to a good start this season, sitting atop the Metropolitan Division with a 4-1-0 record. As a team expected to come back to reality at some point and assume their position towards the bottom of the Eastern Conference, it is uncertain what kind of opponent the Devils will wind up being on any given night. It is safe to say that tonight's matchup against the Lightning will be their most challenging up to this point.
Quick Note
- You should expect to see Peter Budaj in net tonight against New Jersey. Andrei Vasilevskiy has started the first six games and this would be an appropriate night to give him a break.