Second Contest Of Three-Game Road Trip


The Tampa Bay Lightning move on to Toronto to face the Maple Leafs Thursday night in the middle game of their three-game road swing.

The Lightning, fresh from grabbing a point in an evenly-fought overtime battle with the Ottawa Senators Wednesday night, will seek to make it three wins against the Maple Leafs this season.

Vincent Lecavalier has three goals and four points in two games against Toronto this season. Lecavalier leads the Tampa Bay Lightning in goals scored on the season with 28.

Martin St. Louis, Tampa Bay’s point leader with 66, has a goal and two assists vs. the Maple Leafs this season.

Ryan Malone, third among goal scorers for the Lightning this season, has had two goals in the last two games against Toronto.

The Tampa Bay power play has been especially effective against the Maple Leafs this season, converting on four of nine chances for a 44.9% success rate.

Toronto, 27-28-13, currently in 11th place in the Eastern Conference, is clinging to the sheerest of playoff hope, 10 points out of the eighth and final post-season spot.

The Maple Leafs are led in points and goals scored by Jason Blake. Blake has 52 points and 22 goals on the season.

With starting goaltender Vesa Toskala out for the remainder of the season, the netminding duties have fallen to recent acquisition Martin Gerber and veteran Curtis Joseph. Gerber has a 2.71 goals against average for the season while Joseph stands at 3.55.

Following tonight’s contest, the Lightning can head back to the warmth of Florida as they prepare to face cross-state rivals the Florida Panthers in Sunrise on Saturday night. Tampa Bay returns to the St. Pete Times Forum to battle the Maple Leafs again, for the final time this season, on Tuesday night.