Carolina Hurricanes (36-12-8, first in the Central Division during the regular season) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (36-17-3, third in the Central Division during the regular season)
Tampa, Florida; Saturday, 4 p.m. EDT
LINE: Lightning -147, Hurricanes +121; over/under is 5.5
NHL PLAYOFFS SECOND ROUND: Lightning lead series 2-1
BOTTOM LINE: The Tampa Bay Lightning host the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round of the NHL Playoffs with a 2-1 lead in the series. The teams meet Saturday for the 12th time this season. The Hurricanes won the last matchup 3-2 in overtime.
The Lightning are 36-17-3 against Central Division teams. Tampa Bay ranks 10th in the league recording 8.6 points per game, averaging 3.2 goals and 5.3 assists.
The Hurricanes are 36-12-8 against the rest of their division. Carolina is eighth in the NHL averaging 5.5 assists per game, led by Sebastian Aho with 0.6.
TOP PERFORMERS: Brayden Point has 48 total points for the Lightning, 23 goals and 25 assists. Alex Killorn has six goals and four assists over the last 10 games for Tampa Bay.
Martin Necas leads the Hurricanes with a plus-25 in 53 games this season. Aho has six goals and four assists over the last 10 games for Carolina.
DURING THE PLAYOFFS: Lightning: Averaging 3.3 goals, 6.0 assists, 5.1 penalties and 12.9 penalty minutes while giving up 2.4 goals per game with a .932 save percentage.
Hurricanes: Averaging 3.0 goals, 4.0 assists, 4.6 penalties and 10.0 penalty minutes while giving up 2.4 goals per game with a .923 save percentage.
INJURIES: Lightning: David Savard: day to day (upper-body), Barclay Goodrow: out (upper-body).
Hurricanes: Nino Niederreiter: day to day (upper-body), Vincent Trocheck: day to day (lower body).
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