Music: {allcanada} LIGHTNING (41-20-6) at CANADIENS (42-18-6)

Monday, March 9, 2015

{allcanada} LIGHTNING (41-20-6) at CANADIENS (42-18-6)

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

7:30 PM ET

LIGHTNING (41-20-6) at CANADIENS (42-18-6)

TV: SUN, RDS, SNE

Season series: The Tampa Bay Lightning won the first two games against the Montreal Canadiens by a combined score of 11-3. Lightning center Tyler Johnson scored twice in a 4-2 win in Montreal on Jan. 6. Steven Stamkos had a hat trick in Tampa Bay's 7-1 win on Oct. 13.

Lightning team scope: Tampa Bay (88 points) is two points behind Montreal for the Atlantic Division lead with 15 games remaining. The Lightning play three of their next 10 games against the Canadiens, who have played one less game, and two of those games are at Bell Centre. "Coming in first place and home ice, all those things, they're great," coach Jon Cooper told the Lightning's website after practice Monday. "That's great but our goal is, we just have to keep fine-tuning our game and we've got to get in. We're not in the playoffs yet, we've got to get in, and that's why these points count." Goalie Ben Bishop was sidelined for Tampa Bay's four-game loss to Montreal in the 2014 Eastern Conference First Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He has defeated the Canadiens twice this season with a 1.50 goals-against-average and .923 save percentage in the two games.

Canadiens team scope: Montreal (90 points) leads the Eastern Conference following a four-game road trip that saw it claim three of eight possible points (1-2-1). "We're getting into the fun part of the season," goalie Carey Price said after practice Monday. "You get through those middle 40 games that are a real grind and you start getting into the final sprint, and this is the best time of year to play." Coach Michel Therrien said that injured defenseman Alexei Emelin will not face Tampa Bay but the 28-year-old is getting closer to returning and is considered day-to-day. The Canadiens will dress five players who were not in the lineup when it lost to the Lightning on Jan. 6, including defenseman Jeff Petry, and forwards Torrey Mitchell and Brian Flynn, who will be making their home debuts. "The transition game is the one thing that I notice is the big difference, and I think I'll fit in well in that aspect," said Petry, who has played four games since he was acquired on March 2 in a trade with the Edmonton Oilers.

Team Stats