Tampa Bay Lightning (19-9-1, third in the Atlantic Division) vs. Montreal Canadiens (14-13-2, seventh in the Atlantic Division)
Montreal, Quebec; Saturday, 7 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: The Montreal Canadiens host the Tampa Bay Lightning after Cole Caufield scored two goals in the Canadiens' 5-2 loss to the Anaheim Ducks.
Montreal is 14-13-2 overall with a 3-3-0 record against the Atlantic Division. The Canadiens have given up 100 goals while scoring 82 for a -18 scoring differential.
Tampa Bay is 6-3-0 against the Atlantic Division and 19-9-1 overall. The Lightning are fifth in league play with 105 total goals (averaging 3.6 per game).
The teams play Saturday for the sixth time this season. The Canadiens won the previous matchup 5-4 in a shootout. Caufield scored two goals in the win.
TOP PERFORMERS: Nicholas Suzuki has 14 goals and 16 assists for the Canadiens. Caufield has scored six goals over the last 10 games.
Nikita Kucherov has 11 goals and 33 assists for the Lightning. Brayden Point has 10 goals and three assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Canadiens: 4-5-1, averaging 2.4 goals, 4.1 assists, 4.7 penalties and 11.1 penalty minutes while giving up 2.8 goals per game.
Lightning: 8-2-0, averaging 4.1 goals, 7.6 assists, 3.7 penalties and 8.3 penalty minutes while giving up 2.1 goals per game.
INJURIES: Canadiens: Sean Monahan: out (foot), Michael Matheson: day to day (lower body), Jonathan Drouin: out (upper-body), Carey Price: out (knee), Emil Heineman: out (thumb), David Savard: out (upper-body), Brendan Gallagher: out (lower-body), Paul Byron: out (hip).
Lightning: Rudolfs Balcers: out (upper-body), Mikhail Sergachev: day to day (undisclosed).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
