LIGHTNING (15-13-2) at CANUCKS (12-16-2)
10 p.m. ET; SNP, SUN, NHL.TV
Lightning team scope
The Tampa Bay Lightning will be without top-line forwards Nikita Kucherov and Ondrej Palat against the Vancouver Canucks on Friday and Edmonton Oilers on Saturday. Kucherov left practice early Tuesday because of a lower-body injury and didn't play against the Calgary Flames on Wednesday. Palat left the 6-3 win against the Flames during the second period because of an undisclosed injury. "Don't expect them back this weekend," coach Jon Cooper said. "We're in an unfortunate run of late with our injuries, and if there is ever a time we need guys to step up it's right now." Forward Ryan Callahan skated hard Friday morning but will miss his eighth straight game because a lower-body injury. He's questionable to play Saturday. "It's tough because not only are these guys impact players on the ice for us, but they are impact guys in the room," Cooper said. The Lightning recalled forward Erik Condra from Syracuse of the American Hockey League. He could join Cory Conacher, who was from Syracuse on Wednesday, with top-line center Tyler Johnson. "You are not going to replace the guys that go down," Johnson said. "But at the same time everyone can stand up and help a little bit." The Lightning are 2-6-1 in the past nine games, including a 5-1 loss to the Canucks on Dec. 8. But they've scored nine goals in the past two, one more than their total from the previous six games combined (not including one shootout-winning goal). "We were spending too much time in our defensive zone so we had to regroup and the offense has been helped by it," Johnson said.
Canucks team scope
The Vancouver Canucks will have top-pair defenseman Christopher Tanev back after missing the past 20 games because of an ankle injury but could be without defenseman Erik Gudbranson because of an undisclosed injury. "We'll have to see. We are just evaluating," coach Willie Desjardins said of Gudbranson. Tanev's return comes at a perfect time after the Canucks, who are looking to bounce back from an 8-6 loss at the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday. They led that game 5-2 entering the third period but allowed six goals in the final period. Tanev averaged 20:09 of ice time per game in seven games before his injury, anchors the penalty kill, is regularly matched against the opposition's top forwards and plays with the type of calmness that the Canucks could have used when the game was slipping away Tuesday. "He brings a guy that can play against the other team's top players," Desjardins said. "He moves the puck well, he defends well and he doesn't get too excited. He's got great composure." Ryan Miller will start in goal after being pulled after giving up six goals on 30 shots against the Hurricanes. "We have to respond the right way," forward Daniel Sedin said.
Lightning projected lineup
Cory Conacher -- Tyler Johnson - Erik Condra
Brian Boyle -- Valtteri Filppula -- Jonathan Drouin
Alex Killorn -- Vladislav Namestnikov -- Brayden Point
Joel Vermin -- Cedric Paquette -- J.T. Brown
Victor Hedman -- Anton Stralman
Jason Garrison -- Andrej Sustr
Slater Koekkoek -- Braydon Coburn
Scratched: Nikita Nesterov
Injured: Nikita Kucherov (lower body), Ondrej Palat (undisclosed), Steven Stamkos (knee), Ryan Callahan (lower body)
Canucks projected lineup
Daniel Sedin -- Henrik Sedin -- Jannik Hansen
Sven Baertschi -- Bo Horvat -- Alexandre Burrows
Markus Granlund -- Brandon Sutter -- Loui Eriksson
Jack Skille -- Michael Chaput -- Jayson Megna
Ben Hutton -- Christopher Tanev
Ryan Miller
Scratched: Brendan Gaunce
Injured: Erik Gudbranson (undisclosed), Alexander Edler (fractured finger), Derek Dorsett (neck surgery), Anton Rodin (knee), Philip Larsen (concussion)
Status report
The Lightning sent defenseman Luke Witkowski to Syracuse to make room for Condra. … Edler, who usually plays alongside Tanev on the top defense pair, has resumed skating but won't return before Christmas, according to Desjardins.
Who's hot
Filppula had three assists against the Flames and has one goal and four assists during a three-game point streak. … Daniel Sedin has three goals and three assists in his past six games.
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