Lightning, Tocchet Seek Second Consecutive Win

The home stand continues as the Tampa Bay Lightning will hook up with the New Jersey Devils Sunday in the St. Pete Times Forum.

This will be the third game of a four-game stretch at home for the Lightning before they head back out on the road for three games.

Tampa Bay has already faced the Devils once this month, a 4-3 shootout loss, at the Prudential Center on November 5th.

On Friday night, the Lightning collected their first win under interim Head Coach Rick Tocchet, and Tocchet and his staff will certainly look to build on the win against a tough New Jersey squad. Tampa Bay (6-7-6) has pulled in points in all three games since Tocchet took over behind the bench. The 18 points that Tampa has amassed so far this season has them in possession of third place in the Southeast Division.

New Jersey (10-7-2) is also in third place in their Division, the Atlantic. The Devils arrive in Tampa to play the first of five on the road, riding a three game win streak they put together during their recently concluded home stand.

Forward Zach Parise leads the Devil’s with 23 points, good enough for the seventh spot in overall scoring in the NHL. He also is fourth in the NHL in goals scored with 12. Perennial goaltender Martin Brodeur is still out of the lineup, and the netminder duties have been shared by former Bolt Kevin Weekes and Scott Clemmensen.

Tampa Bay has received excellent goaltending all season, with Mike Smith owning a .932 save percentage, fifth best in the NHL. Vincent Lecavalier leads the club in points, with 15, and goals, with nine. He scored the first two goals Friday night enroute to the win over the Nashville Predators.