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Lecavalier on a roll for the Lightning

Feb 15, 2007 - 3:38 PM Washington (23-26-8) at Tampa Bay (32-24-2) 7:30 pm EST

TAMPA, Florida (Ticker) -- Vincent Lecavalier and the Tampa Bay Lightning go for their third straight win over the Washington Capitals on Thursday.

The Lightning are 3-1-0 against the Capitals this season, and hold a 12-point lead over them in the Southeast Division.

Tampa Bay comes in with six wins in its last seven games after a 5-3 triumph over the Phoenix Coyotes on Tuesday. Lecavalier had two goals and an assist, and has been hot for over a month. The center, who leads the NHL with a career-high 37 goals, has 15 goals and 11 assists in his last 18 contests.

Martin St. Louis had a goal and two assists against the Coyotes. The right wing has 13 points in his last nine games, but just one goal in his last five.

Washington, which is 2-4-1 in its last seven games, suffered a serious blow when goaltender Olaf Kolzig hurt his left knee in practice on Monday. He could be out for up to a month.

Brent Johnson will replace Kolzig, but has been subpar lately. Johnson is 0-2-0 in his last two starts with 11 goals against. He is 4-7-3 with a 3.86 goals-against average this season.

With the goaltending situation shaky, the Capitals will rely on Alex Ovechkin even more. Ovechkin has three goals and four assists in four games against Tampa Bay, but has tallied just once in his last five games.