TAMPA — The Tampa Bay Lightning are looking to extend their home-ice winning streak to nine games when they face the Florida Panthers tonight, their final contest before the Olympic break.
The Lightning are riding high with eight consecutive wins at home, nine if you include their Stadium Series victory over Boston at Raymond James Stadium. Head coach Jon Cooper said the team strategically planned to enter the Olympic break on a hot streak.
"Now we just have one more against a big rival. So, there are just a lot of underlying things at stake with this game," Cooper said Thursday morning. "Especially in the standings for both teams. The impending tournament that's coming up in a few days… it'll be interesting how this game plays out."
One player who likely wishes there was no break is defenseman Darren Raddysh, who made Lightning history by becoming the first defenseman in franchise history to score goals in five consecutive games.
"Just having fun," Raddysh said after Tuesday's win over Buffalo. "It's been a good year, and I'm just trying to continue to keep it going." Raddysh has a career-high 17 goals this season.
Cooper praised Raddysh's contributions to the team's improved power play performance.
"All the boys are getting a little chemistry together. Our power play wasn't where we liked it 10 games into the season, but since then it's steadily improved and he's a big reason for it," Cooper added.
The intensity between these division rivals makes for one of hockey's premier matchups, according to Cooper.
"The games are a ton of fun. There could be no penalties the entire game, or there could be six fights," he joked. "I really don't know which way to go with it. But I do know it's two teams that wanna win, and they'll both be trying to do that."
Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. The Lightning hold a 2-1 season series advantage over the Panthers, with the road team winning every meeting so far.
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