Columbus Blue Jackets (15-24-9, eighth in the Central Division) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (30-14-2, third in the Central Division)
Tampa, Florida; Thursday, 7 p.m. EDT
LINE: Lightning -250, Blue Jackets +202; over/under is 0
BOTTOM LINE: Columbus heads into the matchup with Tampa Bay as losers of seven in a row.
The Lightning are 30-14-2 in division games. Tampa Bay is fifth in the NHL averaging 3.3 goals per game, led by Brayden Point with 20.
The Blue Jackets are 15-24-9 against opponents in the Central Division. Columbus ranks 30th in the league with 29.0 shots per game and is averaging 2.4 goals.
Tampa Bay took down Columbus 6-4 in the last meeting between these teams on April 8. Ryan McDonagh scored two goals for the Lightning in the win.
TOP PERFORMERS: Victor Hedman leads the Lightning with 42 points, scoring eight goals and adding 34 assists. Ondrej Palat has six assists over the last 10 games for Tampa Bay.
Jack Roslovic leads the Blue Jackets with 20 total assists and has 30 points. Cam Atkinson has one goal and five assists over the last 10 games for Columbus.
LAST 10 GAMES: Lightning: 5-5-0, averaging 2.6 goals, 4.6 assists, 3.6 penalties and 8.9 penalty minutes while giving up three goals per game with an .899 save percentage.
Blue Jackets: 1-8-1, averaging 2.1 goals, 3.6 assists, 3.7 penalties and 10.7 penalty minutes while giving up four goals per game with an .881 save percentage.
INJURIES: Lightning: None listed.
Blue Jackets: None listed.
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