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Lightning aim for fifth straight win

Feb 9, 2007 - 2:57 PM Tampa Bay (30-23-2) at NY Rangers (25-24-5) 7:00 pm EST

NEW YORK (Ticker) -- Martin St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier have the Tampa Bay Lightning headed in the right direction.

The surging Lightning shoot for their season-high fifth straight win Friday when they visit the New York Rangers.

Thanks to the All-Star duo of St. Louis and Lecavalier, Tampa Bay has won 11 of its last 13 games and is in sole possession of the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

The Lightning's leading scorer, St. Louis has seven goals and 16 assists in his last 16 games and is second in the NHL with 72 points this season, 14 behind league-leader Sidney Crosby.

Lecavalier leads the NHL with 34 goals and has points in 14 of his past 15 games. The star center tallied Tuesday in Tampa Bay's 3-2 shootout victory over the Los Angeles Kings. St. Louis netted the game-winner in the shootout.

While the Lightning have been on a roll, the Rangers have lost four straight contests - each by only one goal - and trail Tampa Bay by seven points in the postseason chase.

New York's latest loss came in devastating fashion, a 3-2 setback in a shootout to the rival New Jersey Devils on Tuesday.

The Lightning have won two of their three matchups with the Rangers this season, including a 3-2 triumph in Tampa Bay last Saturday. Lecavalier scored the go-ahead goal with just eight minutes remaining.