Tampa Bay Lightning (10-3-1, fourth in the Central Division) vs. Carolina Hurricanes (11-3-1, second in the Central Division)
Raleigh, North Carolina; Saturday, 7 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: The Tampa Bay Lightning visit Carolina after Nino Niederreiter scored two goals in the Hurricanes' 5-3 win against the Blackhawks.
The Hurricanes are 11-3-1 against division opponents. Carolina ranks third in the Nhl averaging 6.5 assists per game, led by Jordan Staal with 0.6.
The Lightning are 10-3-1 against Central Division teams. Tampa Bay averages 11.4 penalty minutes per game, the second-most in the Nhl. Patrick Maroon leads the team serving 19 total minutes.
In their last meeting on Jan. 28, Carolina won 1-0.
TOP PERFORMERS: Staal leads the Hurricanes with 15 points, scoring seven goals and registering eight assists. Brock McGinn has seven goals and three assists over the last 10 games for Carolina.
Mikhail Sergachev leads the Lightning with a plus-eight in 14 games this season. Victor Hedman has eight assists over the last 10 games for Tampa Bay.
LAST 10 GAMES: Hurricanes: 7-2-1, averaging 4.1 goals, 7.3 assists, 3.8 penalties and 7.9 penalty minutes while giving up 3.5 goals per game with an .888 save percentage.
Lightning: 7-2-1, averaging 3.9 goals, 6.6 assists, 4.9 penalties and 12.9 penalty minutes while allowing 2.1 goals per game with a .924 save percentage.
INJURIES: Hurricanes: Petr Mrazek: out (thumb).
Lightning: Anthony Cirelli: out (upper body), Mitchell Stephens: out (knee).
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